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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Unaizah versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,286 in Unaizah versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 23% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Unaizah is 19% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-3.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.80 SAR 149

$60.2 SAR 226

-33.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 SAR 26.23

$7.83 SAR 29.42

-10.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-38.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-47.31%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.99

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-10.74%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-25.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.54

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$1.26 SAR 4.72

-75.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-15.42%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$2.36 SAR 8.88

1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 SAR 22.23

$7.20 SAR 27.04

-17.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 SAR 17.26

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-54.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.81

$11.85 SAR 44.49

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-24.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.33

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-7.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$1.70 SAR 6.39

54.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-33.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.59 SAR 2.20

8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.84 SAR 10.66

$2.61 SAR 9.81

8.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.59 SAR 5.97

6.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$1.93 SAR 7.23

12.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.80 SAR 3.02

32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 SAR 135

$68.8 SAR 258

-47.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 SAR 10.72

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 SAR 6.80

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-31.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$6.69 SAR 25.13

101.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.60 SAR 2.27

6.67%

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

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-31.71%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-3.14%

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

$99.6 SAR 374

$98.7 SAR 371

0.95%

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

$31.98 SAR 120

$32.44 SAR 122

-1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 SAR 256

$68.3 SAR 257

-0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 SAR 202

$82.1 SAR 308

-34.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.87 SAR 139

$36.49 SAR 137

1.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 SAR 49.22

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-12.96%

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

$347 SAR 1,303

$611 SAR 2,294

-43.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-20.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 SAR 190

$63.4 SAR 238

-20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 SAR 222

$81.7 SAR 307

-27.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 SAR 364

$97.2 SAR 365

-0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 SAR 335

$94.5 SAR 355

-5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,163

$642 SAR 2,412

-10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 SAR 1,275

$512 SAR 1,921

-33.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 SAR 3,353

$1,183 SAR 4,442

-24.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,087

$852 SAR 3,201

-34.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,401 SAR 9,020

$2,432 SAR 9,134

-1.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 SAR 5,182

$1,467 SAR 5,512

-5.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 SAR 9,453

$1,830 SAR 6,872

37.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.88

-6.97%

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

Last update for Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Unaizah and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah 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 Unaizah vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $219 per month, with Unaizah 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

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

Unaizah wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Unaizah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Unaizah, 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: $576 in Unaizah versus $642 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 91% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $347 in Unaizah versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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, Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.