Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Khamis Mushayt

For one person, living is cheaper in Khamis Mushayt: $1,113 a month against $1,738 in Riyadh, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Khamis Mushayt
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Khamis Mushayt Living Index

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Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,738

/mo nomad

Khamis Mushayt

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,113

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Riyadh and in Khamis Mushayt

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Riyadh and in Khamis Mushayt actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,738 in Riyadh versus $1,113 in Khamis Mushayt.

Riyadh $1,738
Khamis Mushayt $1,113

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,575 in Riyadh versus $1,645 in Khamis Mushayt.

Riyadh $2,575
Khamis Mushayt $1,645

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Riyadh versus $2,178 in Khamis Mushayt.

Riyadh $3,413
Khamis Mushayt $2,178

Living in Riyadh is roughly 56% more expensive than in Khamis Mushayt, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 29% above, Khamis Mushayt is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.20 SAR 30.79

$4.56 SAR 17.11

79.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 SAR 246

$32.11 SAR 121

104.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$6.89 SAR 25.87

16.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

$1.72 SAR 6.47

22.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

$2.12 SAR 7.97

34.91%

Cappuccino

$4.43 SAR 16.64

$2.94 SAR 11.04

50.68%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$0.68 SAR 2.56

27.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SAR 1.25

$0.21 SAR 0.79

57.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.75

$1.63 SAR 6.11

10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$0.39 SAR 1.46

230.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-28.66%

Eggs

$3.11 SAR 11.67

$2.43 SAR 9.11

27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 SAR 39.96

$6.41 SAR 24.06

66.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 SAR 35.12

$5.54 SAR 20.80

68.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 SAR 56.6

$12.76 SAR 47.89

18.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 SAR 10.95

$2.23 SAR 8.35

30.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.32

$1.69 SAR 6.32

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.35

$1.60 SAR 6.02

55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.61 SAR 6.02

5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.21 SAR 4.56

-2.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.00

$1.31 SAR 4.91

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.29 SAR 4.83

35.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 2.00

$0.52 SAR 1.96

1.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$2.60 SAR 9.76

204.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-2.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.19 SAR 8.23

9.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 SAR 29.45

$6.81 SAR 25.56

15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$0.92 SAR 3.47

11.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.93 SAR 139

$35.04 SAR 132

5.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.10

$2.69 SAR 10.09

19.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.18

$1.90 SAR 7.14

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$13.69 SAR 51.4

-4.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.64 SAR 2.42

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

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

$32.9K SAR 123.6K

-19.20%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

-0.31%

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

$105 SAR 394

$103 SAR 386

2.23%

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

$29.43 SAR 110

$32.00 SAR 120

-8.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 SAR 260

$59.3 SAR 223

16.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.4 SAR 291

$77.6 SAR 291

-0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 SAR 209

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 SAR 52.6

$13.30 SAR 49.93

5.26%

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

$555 SAR 2,082

$443 SAR 1,662

25.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K SAR 63.7K

$10.2K SAR 38.2K

66.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$42.84 SAR 161

36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 SAR 202

$62.1 SAR 233

-13.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SAR 391

$100 SAR 375

4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$86.1 SAR 323

21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 SAR 4,270

$484 SAR 1,818

134.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 SAR 3,160

$355 SAR 1,333

137.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 SAR 8,102

$939 SAR 3,524

129.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 SAR 4,739

$551 SAR 2,069

129.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 SAR 10.2K

$2,026 SAR 7,605

33.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,655 SAR 6,212

$1,134 SAR 4,257

45.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,088 SAR 7,837

$1,567 SAR 5,880

33.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

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

Last update for Riyadh: October 31, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Riyadh

$842 48.5%

Khamis Mushayt

$355 31.9% 57.8% $487

Groceries & Markets

Riyadh

$241 13.9%

Khamis Mushayt

$182 16.3% 24.6% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Riyadh

$204 11.7%

Khamis Mushayt

$194 17.4% 4.8% $9.7

Eating Out

Riyadh

$148 8.5%

Khamis Mushayt

$96 8.6% 35.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Riyadh

$144 8.3%

Khamis Mushayt

$131 11.8% 9.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Riyadh

$105 6.1%

Khamis Mushayt

$104 9.4% 1.1% $1.2

Getting Around

Riyadh

$54 3.1%

Khamis Mushayt

$51 4.6% 5.4% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,138 in Riyadh and $484 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 33% 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: $66 in Riyadh vs $32 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $182 per month, with Khamis Mushayt cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🇸🇦 Khamis Mushayt

🕒 Local time

06:13 6:13 AM

Same time as Riyadh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,188,286 Capital

430,828

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.238 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.238 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Riyadh Khamis Mushayt 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Riyadh
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 36% 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 33% 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: $1,138 in Riyadh versus $484 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 5% less than in Riyadh. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $555 in Riyadh versus $443 in Khamis Mushayt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Khamis Mushayt is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Riyadh and Khamis Mushayt are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Khamis Mushayt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.