Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Khamis Mushayt Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Khamis Mushayt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $966 in Khamis Mushayt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,565 in Khamis Mushayt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,163 in Khamis Mushayt.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 25% more expensive than in Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Khamis Mushayt 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$6.57 SAR 24.68

13.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$41.89 SAR 157

26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$6.71 SAR 25.19

18.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.75 SAR 6.57

7.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.81 SAR 6.81

2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$5.23 SAR 19.64

-32.12%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.76 SAR 2.86

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.28 SAR 1.06

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$0.36 SAR 1.35

294.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$1.84 SAR 6.91

15.22%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$4.44 SAR 16.66

-47.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$6.79 SAR 25.48

-11.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$7.66 SAR 28.75

-4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$15.42 SAR 57.9

-34.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.20 SAR 8.25

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.49 SAR 5.58

4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.08 SAR 4.06

28.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-18.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.44 SAR 5.39

-4.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.19 SAR 4.47

8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.70 SAR 2.61

-21.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$2.41 SAR 9.05

70.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-5.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$8.10 SAR 30.41

-4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$40.69 SAR 153

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.67 SAR 10.03

23.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$2.02 SAR 7.58

35.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.12 SAR 49.26

3.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-3.17%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$26.7K SAR 100.3K

-16.79%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$22.6K SAR 84.9K

-7.72%

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

$118 SAR 444

$106 SAR 398

11.62%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$33.53 SAR 126

15.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$71.3 SAR 268

-11.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$87.9 SAR 330

-19.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$35.17 SAR 132

-12.17%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-0.39%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$348 SAR 1,308

22.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$6,953 SAR 26.1K

18.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$60.0 SAR 225

13.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$61.1 SAR 230

10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$79.7 SAR 299

13.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$83.3 SAR 313

3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$157 SAR 591

187.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$105 SAR 396

256.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$402 SAR 1,509

97.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$281 SAR 1,053

126.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,607 SAR 9,789

-49.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,448 SAR 5,438

-43.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

$1,603 SAR 6,019

-6.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $157 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Khamis Mushayt pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $42.00 in Khamis Mushayt. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $206, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ad Dammam vs Khamis Mushayt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khamis Mushayt wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Khamis Mushayt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Khamis Mushayt. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $157 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $966 in Khamis Mushayt – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 4% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $966 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khamis Mushayt but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Khamis Mushayt 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, Ad Dammam and Khamis Mushayt 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 Khamis Mushayt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.