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: $1,150 in Unaizah versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,739 in Unaizah versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Unaizah versus $2,958 in Al Khobar.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 15% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Unaizah is 14% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$6.67 SAR 25.03

1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.62 SAR 152

$52.7 SAR 198

-22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.79

$8.04 SAR 30.18

-11.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-19.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-51.67%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-7.60%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.54

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-77.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.30 SAR 8.64

2.17%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.20

$2.92 SAR 10.96

-16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 SAR 22.11

$6.70 SAR 25.15

-12.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 SAR 17.76

$9.28 SAR 34.81

-49.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 SAR 49.44

$12.58 SAR 47.21

4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.50

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-22.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-4.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$1.72 SAR 6.45

54.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.63

$0.63 SAR 2.35

11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-0.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.46 SAR 5.50

17.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

$1.96 SAR 7.35

2.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 SAR 26.10

$6.81 SAR 25.55

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.97 SAR 3.63

11.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 SAR 149

$61.2 SAR 230

-35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$2.19 SAR 8.21

23.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.30 SAR 4.87

41.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$6.56 SAR 24.62

106.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

23.67%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

-4.16%

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

$106 SAR 397

$125 SAR 468

-15.26%

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

$33.99 SAR 128

$34.88 SAR 131

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 SAR 275

$81.1 SAR 304

-9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 SAR 199

$109 SAR 410

-51.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.24 SAR 136

$36.43 SAR 137

-0.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 SAR 59.2

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-10.70%

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

$353 SAR 1,324

$304 SAR 1,140

16.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

-9.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 SAR 218

$64.5 SAR 242

-9.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$69.2 SAR 260

-13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 SAR 299

$99.5 SAR 373

-19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$78.1 SAR 293

2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 SAR 1,618

$439 SAR 1,648

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,429

$405 SAR 1,521

-6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,241

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 SAR 2,361

$811 SAR 3,043

-22.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 SAR 7,800

$2,399 SAR 9,003

-13.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,529 SAR 5,736

$1,466 SAR 5,502

4.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 SAR 9,443

$1,861 SAR 6,983

35.24%

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 Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $431 in Unaizah and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Unaizah vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $218 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 17% 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.

Unaizah pays 35% 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: $431 in Unaizah versus $439 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $353 in Unaizah versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,150 in Unaizah versus $1,346 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 17% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.