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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Riyadh is roughly 53% more expensive than in Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$4.74 SAR 17.80

64.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$32.27 SAR 121

97.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$6.76 SAR 25.41

16.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.61 SAR 6.05

29.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.89 SAR 7.09

57.67%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.05

$2.87 SAR 10.80

58.19%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.66 SAR 2.47

25.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.23 SAR 0.87

30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.57 SAR 5.88

6.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.42 SAR 1.58

185.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$3.17 SAR 11.89

-28.08%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.41 SAR 9.04

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$6.29 SAR 23.64

59.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$5.59 SAR 20.98

81.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$14.25 SAR 53.5

10.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.15 SAR 8.09

25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.74 SAR 6.55

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.57 SAR 5.90

44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.68 SAR 6.33

1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.16 SAR 4.35

4.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.23 SAR 4.61

37.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.58 SAR 2.20

-6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.49 SAR 9.34

216.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.54 SAR 5.79

20.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.15 SAR 8.09

20.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.52 SAR 24.47

17.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.03 SAR 3.85

4.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$31.41 SAR 118

17.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$2.88 SAR 10.83

10.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.57 SAR 5.88

15.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.70 SAR 51.5

-1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-1.54%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$42.1K SAR 158.2K

-16.22%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

9.93%

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

$100 SAR 376

$101 SAR 381

-1.16%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$32.89 SAR 124

1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$63.7 SAR 239

8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$85.8 SAR 322

5.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$40.26 SAR 151

38.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$324 SAR 1,218

65.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

60.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$54.6 SAR 205

8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$52.9 SAR 199

1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$97.9 SAR 368

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$86.7 SAR 326

19.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$518 SAR 1,947

125.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$301 SAR 1,131

170.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,114

$798 SAR 2,998

170.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$588 SAR 2,208

107.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,478 SAR 9,306

18.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,443 SAR 5,420

34.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$1,573 SAR 5,908

30.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $518 in Khamis Mushayt. 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: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $32.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 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

Riyadh vs Khamis Mushayt: 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.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,169 in Riyadh 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 18% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $537 in Riyadh 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 $1,719 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, Riyadh 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 53% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.