Cost of Living Comparison Between Buraydah and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Buraydah and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,235 in Buraydah versus $1,415 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,064 in Buraydah versus $2,187 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,893 in Buraydah versus $2,960 in Al Khobar.

Living in Buraydah costs roughly 13% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buraydah is 10% below, Al Khobar is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 SAR 50.3

$6.69 SAR 25.13

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 SAR 152

$59.3 SAR 223

-31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SAR 30.87

$7.92 SAR 29.73

3.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-26.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-49.63%

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.45

$4.32 SAR 16.21

-17.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$1.00 SAR 3.74

-24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.62 SAR 6.08

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.26 SAR 4.75

-8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

$2.43 SAR 9.13

1.65%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.92

$2.40 SAR 9.02

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 SAR 32.07

$7.11 SAR 26.72

20.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 SAR 24.83

$10.25 SAR 38.48

-35.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$11.75 SAR 44.13

14.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.78 SAR 10.44

-16.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.72 SAR 6.45

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

$1.97 SAR 7.42

-12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-9.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$1.35 SAR 5.05

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-15.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-35.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.55 SAR 2.05

10.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-27.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.76

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-3.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$1.81 SAR 6.79

43.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 SAR 24.49

$6.54 SAR 24.56

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.74 SAR 2.79

41.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.26 SAR 132

$66.6 SAR 250

-47.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$3.40 SAR 12.78

-20.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.62 SAR 9.83

2.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.88 SAR 63.4

$6.75 SAR 25.36

150.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-1.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.4K SAR 155.6K

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

-38.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.2K SAR 87.2K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

4.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.7 SAR 269

$100 SAR 376

-28.51%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.13 SAR 121

$32.10 SAR 121

0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 266

$68.3 SAR 256

3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$133 SAR 500

$81.6 SAR 306

63.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.59 SAR 137

$36.00 SAR 135

1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.33 SAR 57.6

$15.59 SAR 58.6

-1.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$266 SAR 999

$590 SAR 2,216

-54.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,788 SAR 14.2K

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

-55.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 SAR 193

$62.4 SAR 234

-17.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$83.5 SAR 313

-30.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$95.7 SAR 359

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 SAR 263

$91.4 SAR 343

-23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 SAR 2,607

$645 SAR 2,423

7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 SAR 1,244

$496 SAR 1,864

-33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 SAR 3,328

$1,188 SAR 4,463

-25.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 SAR 3,081

$876 SAR 3,289

-6.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 SAR 9,012

$2,382 SAR 8,944

0.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 SAR 5,236

$1,464 SAR 5,498

-4.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,506 SAR 9,410

$1,812 SAR 6,806

38.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

5.88

-32.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Buraydah: September 7, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Buraydah and $645 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Buraydah vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $218 per month, with Buraydah cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Buraydah vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buraydah wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buraydah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Buraydah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $694 in Buraydah versus $645 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Buraydah runs roughly 89% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Buraydah versus $590 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,235 in Buraydah versus $1,415 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Buraydah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Buraydah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Buraydah and Al Khobar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Buraydah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.