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: $1,227 in Ad Dammam versus $1,038 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Ad Dammam versus $1,487 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Ad Dammam versus $1,937 in Ha'il.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 18% more expensive than Ha'il, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Ha'il 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 SAR 27.71

$6.61 SAR 24.80

11.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$25.32 SAR 95.0

109.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$6.90 SAR 25.88

17.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.09 SAR 4.10

67.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$2.18 SAR 8.18

-16.51%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.27

$3.25 SAR 12.19

8.92%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.24

$1.00 SAR 3.74

-14.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.32 SAR 1.19

15.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.87 SAR 3.25

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$1.90 SAR 7.15

11.05%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$1.87 SAR 7.00

18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 SAR 23.76

$6.52 SAR 24.45

-2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$8.87 SAR 33.27

-15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 SAR 38.21

$8.20 SAR 30.76

24.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$1.51 SAR 5.65

45.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.25 SAR 4.69

16.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.94 SAR 7.28

-15.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-9.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-15.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.10 SAR 4.12

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.45 SAR 1.70

20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.29

$2.45 SAR 9.21

66.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-4.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 SAR 30.79

$6.83 SAR 25.65

20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.01 SAR 150

$40.71 SAR 153

-1.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.74 SAR 10.28

19.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$1.90 SAR 7.12

37.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$22.8K SAR 85.6K

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

-13.80%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.5K

$22.2K SAR 83.1K

-6.70%

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

$118 SAR 441

$54.1 SAR 203

117.12%

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

$38.53 SAR 145

$21.30 SAR 79.9

80.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 SAR 237

$47.32 SAR 178

33.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 SAR 266

$65.5 SAR 246

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.70 SAR 119

$35.00 SAR 131

-9.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.55 SAR 58.4

$14.68 SAR 55.1

5.93%

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

$414 SAR 1,554

$348 SAR 1,305

19.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,136 SAR 30.5K

$6,962 SAR 26.1K

16.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 SAR 259

$59.4 SAR 223

16.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$61.4 SAR 230

8.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 SAR 344

$77.8 SAR 292

17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 SAR 316

$83.2 SAR 312

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,679

$493 SAR 1,850

-9.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,393

$325 SAR 1,220

14.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 SAR 2,924

$444 SAR 1,667

75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,348

$353 SAR 1,324

77.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,913

$2,398 SAR 8,999

-45.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 SAR 2,993

$1,343 SAR 5,041

-40.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 SAR 7,062

$1,073 SAR 4,027

75.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $493 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 75% 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: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $25.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $178 per month, with Ha'il 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

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

Ha'il wins on cost – living expenses run 18% 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.

Ad Dammam pays 75% more on average, 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $493 in Ha'il. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,038 in Ha'il – a 18% 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 $1,038 in Ha'il versus $1,227 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 18% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.