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: $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,041 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,860 in Ad Dammam versus $1,491 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Ad Dammam versus $1,940 in Ha'il.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 15% more expensive than in Ha'il, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Ha'il 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 SAR 27.37

$6.57 SAR 24.68

10.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 SAR 202

$25.76 SAR 96.8

108.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.16

$7.13 SAR 26.76

12.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.09 SAR 4.09

66.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 14.00

$3.27 SAR 12.26

14.07%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.01 SAR 3.78

-8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.32 SAR 1.20

9.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$0.81 SAR 3.03

80.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.91 SAR 7.18

9.42%

Eggs

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.95 SAR 7.31

16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 SAR 22.97

$6.63 SAR 24.89

-7.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.23

$8.92 SAR 33.48

-18.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 SAR 36.42

$8.48 SAR 31.86

14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$1.55 SAR 5.83

36.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.52 SAR 5.69

-1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.26 SAR 4.72

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.34 SAR 5.04

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.56 SAR 5.85

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.06 SAR 3.97

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.49 SAR 1.85

20.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

$2.43 SAR 9.11

69.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-7.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$7.02 SAR 26.34

10.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-12.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.54 SAR 148

$39.94 SAR 150

-1.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$2.70 SAR 10.16

25.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$1.82 SAR 6.83

43.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$13.09 SAR 49.14

3.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

-15.38%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-7.27%

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

$115 SAR 432

$54.0 SAR 203

112.98%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$21.59 SAR 81.1

78.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 239

$46.03 SAR 173

38.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 SAR 265

$66.3 SAR 249

6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.26 SAR 117

$36.21 SAR 136

-13.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 SAR 56.6

$14.70 SAR 55.2

2.45%

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

$415 SAR 1,558

$352 SAR 1,320

18.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

$7,085 SAR 26.6K

15.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 SAR 258

$59.2 SAR 222

15.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 SAR 250

$60.4 SAR 227

10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 348

$77.9 SAR 292

18.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 SAR 322

$80.6 SAR 303

6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,677

$498 SAR 1,871

-10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 SAR 1,421

$330 SAR 1,241

14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 SAR 3,021

$440 SAR 1,651

83.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,350

$361 SAR 1,355

73.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,353 SAR 5,082

$2,366 SAR 8,885

-42.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 SAR 3,063

$1,332 SAR 5,001

-38.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 SAR 5,669

$1,064 SAR 3,994

41.92%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $498 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 42% 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 Ad Dammam vs $26.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $180 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 15% 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 42% 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $498 in Ha'il. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,196 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,041 in Ha'il – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ha'il runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Ha'il versus $1,196 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 15% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.