Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Khamis Mushayt Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Khamis Mushayt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,120 in Khamis Mushayt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,663 in Khamis Mushayt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,206 in Khamis Mushayt.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 28% more expensive than in Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Khamis Mushayt is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$4.74 SAR 17.80

44.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$32.27 SAR 121

86.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$6.76 SAR 25.41

15.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$1.61 SAR 6.05

67.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.89 SAR 7.09

37.57%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$2.87 SAR 10.80

55.75%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.66 SAR 2.47

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.23 SAR 0.87

78.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.57 SAR 5.88

3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$0.42 SAR 1.58

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$3.17 SAR 11.89

-20.19%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.41 SAR 9.04

-2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$6.29 SAR 23.64

14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$5.59 SAR 20.98

78.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$14.25 SAR 53.5

-16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.15 SAR 8.09

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.74 SAR 6.55

1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.57 SAR 5.90

29.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.68 SAR 6.33

7.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.16 SAR 4.35

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.33 SAR 4.99

27.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.23 SAR 4.61

39.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.58 SAR 2.20

1.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.49 SAR 9.34

4.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.54 SAR 5.79

3.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-10.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.52 SAR 24.47

4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.03 SAR 3.85

-22.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$31.41 SAR 118

118.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.59

$2.88 SAR 10.83

16.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.57 SAR 5.88

68.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.14

$13.70 SAR 51.5

-51.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-7.69%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$42.1K SAR 158.2K

61.16%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

10.01%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$101 SAR 381

-2.70%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$32.89 SAR 124

-1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$63.7 SAR 239

7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$85.8 SAR 322

-4.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$40.26 SAR 151

-9.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.47 SAR 50.6

11.73%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$324 SAR 1,218

88.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

25.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$54.6 SAR 205

15.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$52.9 SAR 199

54.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$97.9 SAR 368

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$86.7 SAR 326

8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,413

$518 SAR 1,947

23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$301 SAR 1,131

69.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$798 SAR 2,998

48.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$588 SAR 2,208

45.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,135

$2,478 SAR 9,306

-1.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$1,443 SAR 5,420

1.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$1,573 SAR 5,908

16.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $518 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 16% 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: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $32.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $186 per month, with Khamis Mushayt 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

Al Khobar vs Khamis Mushayt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khamis Mushayt wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Khamis Mushayt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Al Khobar, 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $518 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 119% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $324 in Khamis Mushayt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,120 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khamis Mushayt but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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, Al Khobar 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 28% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.