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: $1,185 in Buraydah versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,980 in Buraydah versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,775 in Buraydah versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Buraydah costs roughly 12% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buraydah is 12% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.73 SAR 47.78

$6.75 SAR 25.34

88.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.83 SAR 150

$52.6 SAR 197

-24.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 SAR 27.87

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-7.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-19.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.58

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-45.22%

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.86

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-14.58%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.76

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-26.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SAR 9.68

$2.33 SAR 8.75

10.73%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 SAR 30.90

$6.59 SAR 24.72

24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 SAR 25.00

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-27.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 SAR 51.3

$12.70 SAR 47.65

7.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-1.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.74 SAR 6.54

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-31.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.64 SAR 6.17

1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-10.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.62 SAR 2.33

4.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$2.68 SAR 10.05

-28.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.42 SAR 5.34

2.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.71

$1.97 SAR 7.39

31.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 SAR 23.46

$6.75 SAR 25.35

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.90

$0.92 SAR 3.45

13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.65 SAR 149

$61.6 SAR 231

-35.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$2.25 SAR 8.44

19.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.30 SAR 4.87

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.87 SAR 63.3

$6.59 SAR 24.74

155.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-1.67%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.5K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

26.61%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

6.73%

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

$75.8 SAR 284

$123 SAR 461

-38.25%

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

$29.84 SAR 112

$34.93 SAR 131

-14.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 SAR 262

$80.1 SAR 301

-12.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 383

$107 SAR 400

-4.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$36.08 SAR 135

-3.08%

Cinema Ticket

$16.24 SAR 60.9

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-8.04%

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

$262 SAR 984

$307 SAR 1,151

-14.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,720 SAR 14.0K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-50.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 SAR 194

$63.8 SAR 239

-19.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.5 SAR 279

$70.0 SAR 263

6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 SAR 307

$98.7 SAR 370

-17.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 SAR 262

$80.8 SAR 303

-13.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 SAR 2,379

$433 SAR 1,624

46.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 SAR 1,267

$397 SAR 1,489

-14.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 SAR 2,812

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-27.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 SAR 3,033

$790 SAR 2,965

2.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,323 SAR 8,717

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-3.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,329 SAR 4,988

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-8.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,826 SAR 10.6K

$1,866 SAR 7,005

51.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Buraydah: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $634 in Buraydah and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 51% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $217 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 13% 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.

Buraydah pays 51% more on average, 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: $634 in Buraydah versus $433 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 55% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $262 in Buraydah versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,185 in Buraydah versus $1,344 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 13% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.