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: $966 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,565 in Khamis Mushayt versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Khamis Mushayt versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Khamis Mushayt costs roughly 45% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Khamis Mushayt is 28% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 SAR 24.68

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-19.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 SAR 157

$53.9 SAR 202

-22.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 SAR 25.20

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-15.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.69 SAR 6.33

3.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-21.65%

Cappuccino

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$3.98 SAR 14.94

31.41%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 SAR 1.35

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-72.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-22.03%

Eggs

$4.44 SAR 16.66

$2.69 SAR 10.10

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 SAR 28.76

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-22.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.42 SAR 57.9

$14.50 SAR 54.4

6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.58

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-14.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-42.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

$1.59 SAR 5.96

27.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.25 SAR 4.68

36.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-16.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.61

$0.52 SAR 1.94

34.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-69.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-4.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 SAR 30.42

$7.41 SAR 27.83

9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.69 SAR 153

$36.88 SAR 138

10.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-17.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

$1.84 SAR 6.93

9.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.27

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.3K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-23.87%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.9K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-3.60%

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

$106 SAR 398

0.15%

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

$33.53 SAR 126

$35.14 SAR 132

-4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$76.9 SAR 289

-7.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 SAR 330

$106 SAR 399

-17.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 SAR 132

$59.9 SAR 225

-41.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-5.30%

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

$348 SAR 1,309

$465 SAR 1,747

-25.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,953 SAR 26.1K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-27.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 SAR 225

$58.3 SAR 219

2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 SAR 230

$65.1 SAR 244

-6.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$110 SAR 413

-27.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 SAR 313

$101 SAR 378

-17.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 SAR 591

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-85.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 SAR 396

$843 SAR 3,164

-87.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 SAR 1,509

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-80.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,053

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-75.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,607 SAR 9,790

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-10.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 SAR 5,438

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-25.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 SAR 6,020

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-20.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Khamis Mushayt and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 26% 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: $42.00 in Khamis Mushayt vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $225 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 82% 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 26% 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: $157 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,110 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 10% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $348 in Khamis Mushayt versus $465 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $966 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,758 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 $966 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 82% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.