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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $952 in Khamis Mushayt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,562 in Khamis Mushayt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,172 in Khamis Mushayt.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 27% more expensive than Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Khamis Mushayt 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.83 SAR 25.65

7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$42.60 SAR 160

25.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$6.94 SAR 26.06

14.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.76 SAR 6.60

3.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.78 SAR 6.70

2.25%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$5.35 SAR 20.09

-30.84%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.75 SAR 2.82

22.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.26 SAR 0.97

34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.35 SAR 1.32

314.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$1.92 SAR 7.21

8.85%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$4.37 SAR 16.39

-48.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$6.63 SAR 24.87

-8.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$7.67 SAR 28.78

-6.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$15.41 SAR 57.8

-37.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.24 SAR 8.40

-5.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.43 SAR 5.38

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.05 SAR 3.93

31.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.97 SAR 7.40

-15.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.38 SAR 5.20

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.25 SAR 4.67

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-15.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$3.11 SAR 11.68

34.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-5.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.10 SAR 7.87

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.83 SAR 29.37

1.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$40.19 SAR 151

-0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.65 SAR 9.93

24.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$2.02 SAR 7.59

31.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

-13.02%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

-5.17%

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

$117 SAR 438

$106 SAR 399

9.82%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$34.38 SAR 129

11.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$71.5 SAR 268

-11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$89.5 SAR 336

-20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$35.37 SAR 133

-13.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$15.61 SAR 58.6

-0.45%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$346 SAR 1,300

19.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$7,039 SAR 26.4K

16.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$58.8 SAR 221

13.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$60.7 SAR 228

12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$77.8 SAR 292

16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$82.3 SAR 309

3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$159 SAR 597

180.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$108 SAR 404

248.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$406 SAR 1,523

97.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$282 SAR 1,059

127.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,505 SAR 9,402

-47.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,144 SAR 4,294

-29.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$1,619 SAR 6,078

16.99%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $205, 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 27% 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.

Ad Dammam pays 17% 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $952 in Khamis Mushayt – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 0% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $952 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,210 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 27% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.