Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Ha'il Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Ha'il

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,011 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in Ad Dammam versus $1,581 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,450 in Ad Dammam versus $2,152 in Ha'il.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 19% more expensive than in Ha'il, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 12% lower, Ha'il 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 SAR 29.66

$5.21 SAR 19.57

51.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 SAR 132

$37.78 SAR 142

-6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 SAR 25.47

$6.12 SAR 22.98

10.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.18 SAR 4.44

62.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.00 SAR 7.52

11.00%

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$2.63 SAR 9.87

13.31%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.61 SAR 2.29

26.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.77

$0.24 SAR 0.89

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.72 SAR 6.45

4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$0.84 SAR 3.16

51.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-1.06%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$1.94 SAR 7.27

12.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.26

$6.82 SAR 25.63

6.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SAR 29.06

$8.52 SAR 32.01

-9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.62

$8.27 SAR 31.06

56.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.54 SAR 5.79

42.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.57 SAR 5.90

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.25 SAR 4.68

26.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.04 SAR 7.68

-23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.61 SAR 6.05

-27.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.14 SAR 4.29

11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.48 SAR 1.82

20.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.76

$2.74 SAR 10.29

53.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-10.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

$2.15 SAR 8.07

2.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.45

$6.47 SAR 24.29

17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-10.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.71 SAR 134

$36.42 SAR 137

-1.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$2.87 SAR 10.77

-4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$1.82 SAR 6.82

43.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$13.42 SAR 50.4

0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.61 SAR 2.27

-1.64%

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

$66.7K SAR 250.4K

$45.0K SAR 169.0K

48.13%

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

$21.0K SAR 79.0K

$21.6K SAR 81.3K

-2.79%

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

$127 SAR 478

$54.2 SAR 204

134.54%

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

$32.69 SAR 123

$21.14 SAR 79.4

54.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$46.43 SAR 174

38.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 SAR 292

$66.4 SAR 249

17.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.77 SAR 108

$36.77 SAR 138

-21.76%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$14.92 SAR 56.0

-8.98%

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

$419 SAR 1,574

$349 SAR 1,311

20.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,803 SAR 29.3K

$6,537 SAR 24.5K

19.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.01 SAR 158

$50.8 SAR 191

-17.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 SAR 186

$59.0 SAR 221

-15.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$97.2 SAR 365

0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 SAR 344

$89.9 SAR 337

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 SAR 2,193

$243 SAR 912

140.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,385

$344 SAR 1,292

7.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SAR 3,700

$366 SAR 1,374

169.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 SAR 2,529

$540 SAR 2,030

24.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,416 SAR 5,318

$2,363 SAR 8,874

-40.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$600 SAR 2,253

$1,352 SAR 5,076

-55.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,520 SAR 5,707

$1,084 SAR 4,070

40.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.47

7.86%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ad Dammam and $243 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 40% 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: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $38.00 in Ha'il. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $179, with Ha'il cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ad Dammam vs Ha'il: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha'il wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ha'il the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Ad Dammam, 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: $584 in Ad Dammam versus $243 in Ha'il. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,011 in Ha'il – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ha'il runs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,011 in Ha'il versus $1,205 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ha'il but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Ha'il the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Ad Dammam and Ha'il 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 Ha'il gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.