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

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

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

Living in Riyadh is roughly 82% more expensive than in Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.57 SAR 24.68

24.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$41.89 SAR 157

28.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$6.71 SAR 25.20

18.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-3.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.81 SAR 6.81

27.62%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$5.23 SAR 19.64

-23.90%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.76 SAR 2.86

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.28 SAR 1.06

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.36 SAR 1.35

269.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.84 SAR 6.91

28.26%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$4.44 SAR 16.66

-39.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.79 SAR 25.48

24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.66 SAR 28.76

29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$15.42 SAR 57.9

-5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.20 SAR 8.25

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.49 SAR 5.58

16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.08 SAR 4.06

74.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-26.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.44 SAR 5.39

1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.19 SAR 4.47

20.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.70 SAR 2.61

-25.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.41 SAR 9.05

226.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.71 SAR 6.44

4.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.02 SAR 7.57

19.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$8.10 SAR 30.42

-8.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.69 SAR 153

-9.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.67 SAR 10.03

20.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-8.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.12 SAR 49.27

0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.38

1.59%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.7K SAR 100.3K

31.35%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.6K SAR 84.9K

3.73%

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)

$35.14 SAR 132

$33.53 SAR 126

4.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$71.3 SAR 268

7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$87.9 SAR 330

20.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.17 SAR 132

70.34%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.36 SAR 57.7

5.60%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$348 SAR 1,309

33.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$6,953 SAR 26.1K

37.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$60.0 SAR 225

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$61.1 SAR 230

6.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$79.7 SAR 299

38.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$83.3 SAR 313

20.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$157 SAR 591

605.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$105 SAR 396

698.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$402 SAR 1,509

404.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$281 SAR 1,053

301.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,607 SAR 9,790

11.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,448 SAR 5,438

33.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,603 SAR 6,020

26.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $157 in Khamis Mushayt. 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: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $42.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $206 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 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.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $157 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 10% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Riyadh versus $348 in Khamis Mushayt. 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, 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 82% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.