Cost of Living Comparison Between Khamis Mushayt and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Khamis Mushayt and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,120 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,719 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Khamis Mushayt versus $2,562 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,206 in Khamis Mushayt versus $3,405 in Riyadh.

Living in Khamis Mushayt costs roughly 35% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Khamis Mushayt is 18% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.74 SAR 17.80

$7.82 SAR 29.38

-39.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.27 SAR 121

$63.7 SAR 239

-49.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 SAR 25.41

$7.86 SAR 29.51

-13.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.09 SAR 7.86

-22.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$2.98 SAR 11.21

-36.58%

Cappuccino

$2.87 SAR 10.80

$4.54 SAR 17.05

-36.78%

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

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.83 SAR 3.13

-20.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.30 SAR 1.12

-23.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-5.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 SAR 1.58

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$2.28 SAR 8.58

39.04%

Eggs

$2.41 SAR 9.04

$3.06 SAR 11.49

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 SAR 23.64

$10.02 SAR 37.65

-37.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 SAR 20.98

$10.16 SAR 38.18

-44.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 SAR 53.5

$15.70 SAR 59.0

-9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-20.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.55

$1.86 SAR 7.00

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-30.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.33

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-1.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.35

$1.21 SAR 4.54

-4.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-27.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.20

$0.54 SAR 2.04

7.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.49 SAR 9.34

$7.89 SAR 29.63

-68.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-16.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$2.59 SAR 9.72

-16.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 SAR 24.47

$7.65 SAR 28.74

-14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 SAR 3.85

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-4.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.41 SAR 118

$36.95 SAR 139

-14.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

$3.18 SAR 11.96

-9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-13.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.70 SAR 51.5

$13.55 SAR 50.9

1.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.64 SAR 2.42

1.56%

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

$42.1K SAR 158.2K

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

19.36%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-9.04%

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

$101 SAR 381

$100 SAR 376

1.18%

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

$32.89 SAR 124

$33.25 SAR 125

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 SAR 239

$69.1 SAR 260

-7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 SAR 322

$90.9 SAR 341

-5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.26 SAR 151

$55.9 SAR 210

-28.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

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

$324 SAR 1,218

$537 SAR 2,016

-39.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

-37.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 SAR 205

$59.5 SAR 223

-8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 SAR 199

$53.5 SAR 201

-1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$110 SAR 415

-11.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 SAR 326

$104 SAR 390

-16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 SAR 1,947

$1,169 SAR 4,391

-55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 SAR 1,131

$815 SAR 3,063

-63.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 SAR 2,998

$2,160 SAR 8,114

-63.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 SAR 2,208

$1,219 SAR 4,579

-51.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,478 SAR 9,306

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

-15.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 SAR 5,420

$1,934 SAR 7,265

-25.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 SAR 5,908

$2,052 SAR 7,709

-23.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.54

-1.26%

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

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: September 14, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Khamis Mushayt and $1,169 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 30% 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: $32.00 in Khamis Mushayt vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $240 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khamis Mushayt wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Riyadh. 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 30% lower in Riyadh. 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: $518 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,169 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 18% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $324 in Khamis Mushayt versus $537 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,120 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,719 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khamis Mushayt but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Khamis Mushayt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Khamis Mushayt delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,120 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Khamis Mushayt hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Khamis Mushayt and Riyadh 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 53% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.