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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

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

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

Living in Khamis Mushayt costs roughly 29% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$6.75 SAR 25.34

1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.60 SAR 160

$52.6 SAR 197

-18.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 SAR 26.06

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-13.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-12.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-34.56%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SAR 20.09

$4.32 SAR 16.23

23.84%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.82

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.69 SAR 6.34

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 SAR 1.32

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-74.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-17.60%

Eggs

$4.37 SAR 16.39

$2.91 SAR 10.91

50.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 SAR 24.87

$6.59 SAR 24.72

0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SAR 28.78

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 SAR 57.8

$12.70 SAR 47.65

21.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-17.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-50.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.40

$1.64 SAR 6.17

20.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.43 SAR 5.38

18.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 SAR 4.67

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-28.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.62 SAR 2.33

4.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.11 SAR 11.68

$2.68 SAR 10.05

16.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.42 SAR 5.34

19.01%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

$1.97 SAR 7.39

6.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.83 SAR 29.37

$6.75 SAR 25.35

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.92 SAR 3.45

19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$61.6 SAR 231

-34.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$2.25 SAR 8.44

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.30 SAR 4.87

55.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$6.59 SAR 24.74

104.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.60 SAR 2.25

5.00%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

25.33%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-1.09%

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

$106 SAR 399

$123 SAR 461

-13.43%

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

$34.38 SAR 129

$34.93 SAR 131

-1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 SAR 268

$80.1 SAR 301

-10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 SAR 336

$107 SAR 400

-15.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$36.08 SAR 135

-1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 SAR 58.6

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-11.61%

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

$346 SAR 1,300

$307 SAR 1,151

13.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,039 SAR 26.4K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-6.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 SAR 221

$63.8 SAR 239

-7.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SAR 228

$70.0 SAR 263

-13.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 SAR 292

$98.7 SAR 370

-21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$80.8 SAR 303

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 SAR 597

$433 SAR 1,624

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$397 SAR 1,489

-72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 SAR 1,523

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-60.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,059

$790 SAR 2,965

-64.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,505 SAR 9,402

$2,419 SAR 9,077

3.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 SAR 4,294

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-21.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 SAR 6,078

$1,866 SAR 7,005

-13.23%

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 Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Khamis Mushayt and $433 in Al Khobar. 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: $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $217 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

Khamis Mushayt vs Al Khobar: 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.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 15% less. 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: $159 in Khamis Mushayt versus $433 in Al Khobar. 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 $346 in Khamis Mushayt versus $307 in Al Khobar. 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, Khamis Mushayt 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 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.