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: $1,146 in Unaizah versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,774 in Unaizah versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in Unaizah versus $2,931 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

$6.47 SAR 24.26

$6.80 SAR 25.51

-4.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$52.4 SAR 196

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 SAR 26.39

$7.81 SAR 29.27

-9.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-22.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-52.38%

Cappuccino

$4.07 SAR 15.26

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-3.78%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-78.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-5.83%

Eggs

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 SAR 22.69

$6.88 SAR 25.80

-12.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 SAR 17.32

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-48.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.06

$12.37 SAR 46.39

5.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-6.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-9.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$1.72 SAR 6.46

54.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.55

$0.59 SAR 2.23

15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 SAR 11.58

$2.72 SAR 10.21

13.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.47 SAR 5.50

14.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

$1.87 SAR 7.02

11.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 SAR 25.64

$6.59 SAR 24.71

3.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.91 SAR 3.40

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 SAR 152

$59.5 SAR 223

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$2.21 SAR 8.29

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.31 SAR 4.90

43.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.7

$6.69 SAR 25.08

102.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-3.17%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

24.88%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

-5.00%

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

$104 SAR 391

$123 SAR 461

-15.13%

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

$33.59 SAR 126

$34.30 SAR 129

-2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 SAR 269

$80.9 SAR 303

-11.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 SAR 202

$109 SAR 409

-50.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$36.07 SAR 135

-1.08%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 SAR 57.9

$17.15 SAR 64.3

-10.03%

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

$358 SAR 1,341

$306 SAR 1,147

16.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,080 SAR 26.6K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

-6.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 SAR 225

$62.9 SAR 236

-4.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$68.8 SAR 258

-11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 SAR 295

$99.1 SAR 372

-20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$79.1 SAR 297

1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,679

$437 SAR 1,639

2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,404

$394 SAR 1,479

-5.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,175

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-19.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 SAR 2,364

$788 SAR 2,955

-19.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,243 SAR 8,410

$2,411 SAR 9,040

-6.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,249 SAR 4,683

$1,432 SAR 5,370

-12.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,542 SAR 9,532

$1,942 SAR 7,283

30.89%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Unaizah and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 31% 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 $52.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $216 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 31% 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: $448 in Unaizah versus $437 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 46% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $358 in Unaizah versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,146 in Unaizah versus $1,341 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.