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: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $952 in Khamis Mushayt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,562 in Khamis Mushayt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,172 in Khamis Mushayt.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 41% more expensive than Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Khamis Mushayt is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$6.83 SAR 25.65

-1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$42.60 SAR 160

23.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$6.94 SAR 26.06

15.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.76 SAR 6.60

14.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.78 SAR 6.70

52.81%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$5.35 SAR 20.09

-19.25%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.75 SAR 2.82

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.26 SAR 0.97

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$0.35 SAR 1.32

294.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$1.92 SAR 7.21

21.35%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$4.37 SAR 16.39

-33.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$6.63 SAR 24.87

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$7.67 SAR 28.78

19.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$15.41 SAR 57.8

-17.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.24 SAR 8.40

11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.43 SAR 5.38

21.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.05 SAR 3.93

100.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.97 SAR 7.40

-16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-15.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.38 SAR 5.20

21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.25 SAR 4.67

40.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-4.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$3.11 SAR 11.68

-13.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-15.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$2.10 SAR 7.87

-6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$7.83 SAR 29.37

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.19 SAR 151

53.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-35.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-51.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-4.76%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

-20.21%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

1.10%

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

$123 SAR 461

$106 SAR 399

15.51%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$34.38 SAR 129

1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$71.5 SAR 268

11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$89.5 SAR 336

18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$35.37 SAR 133

2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.61 SAR 58.6

13.13%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$346 SAR 1,300

-11.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$7,039 SAR 26.4K

7.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$58.8 SAR 221

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$60.7 SAR 228

15.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$77.8 SAR 292

26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$82.3 SAR 309

-1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$159 SAR 597

171.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$108 SAR 404

268.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$406 SAR 1,523

153.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$282 SAR 1,059

180.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$2,505 SAR 9,402

-3.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,144 SAR 4,294

27.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$1,619 SAR 6,078

15.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 15% 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $205 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 41% 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.

Al Khobar pays 15% 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $159 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 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $346 in Khamis Mushayt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,344 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 41% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.