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: $1,163 in Unaizah versus $1,323 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Unaizah versus $2,104 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,365 in Unaizah versus $2,885 in Al Khobar.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 12% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Unaizah 13% lower, Al Khobar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$6.47 SAR 24.31

3.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.60 SAR 152

$53.2 SAR 200

-23.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.86

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-8.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-22.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-50.38%

Cappuccino

$4.18 SAR 15.70

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-4.57%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-45.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-79.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.63

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.50

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-10.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 SAR 22.87

$6.64 SAR 24.92

-8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 SAR 17.66

$8.95 SAR 33.60

-47.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 SAR 48.03

$12.73 SAR 47.82

0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-11.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-19.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.57 SAR 5.90

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 SAR 9.69

$1.66 SAR 6.24

55.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.58 SAR 2.19

13.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

$2.61 SAR 9.82

-0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.42 SAR 5.34

21.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$1.98 SAR 7.43

2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$6.62 SAR 24.86

3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.96 SAR 3.60

9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.78 SAR 149

$61.6 SAR 231

-35.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$2.23 SAR 8.38

21.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.31 SAR 4.93

40.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$6.79 SAR 25.48

92.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-7.69%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

24.83%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-4.48%

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

$104 SAR 392

$122 SAR 458

-14.24%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$34.21 SAR 128

-3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 SAR 272

$81.4 SAR 306

-10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 SAR 200

$106 SAR 400

-49.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.48 SAR 133

$36.66 SAR 138

-3.22%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$17.12 SAR 64.3

-9.11%

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

$354 SAR 1,329

$301 SAR 1,129

17.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,930 SAR 26.0K

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

-9.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$63.6 SAR 239

-5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 SAR 229

$69.1 SAR 259

-11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SAR 303

$100.0 SAR 375

-19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$78.0 SAR 293

5.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,681

$430 SAR 1,615

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,426

$394 SAR 1,479

-3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,156

$1,049 SAR 3,938

-19.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,337

$800 SAR 3,004

-22.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,481 SAR 9,315

$2,385 SAR 8,955

4.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,517 SAR 5,696

$1,459 SAR 5,479

3.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,500 SAR 9,389

$1,822 SAR 6,843

37.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Unaizah and $430 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 37% 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 $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 14% 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 37% 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: $448 in Unaizah versus $430 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 55% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $354 in Unaizah versus $301 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,163 in Unaizah versus $1,323 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 14% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.