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: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,024 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,474 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $1,925 in Ha'il.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 21% more expensive than Ha'il, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Ha'il 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$6.83 SAR 25.60

7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$25.28 SAR 94.8

113.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$7.19 SAR 26.97

13.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.05 SAR 3.93

77.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$2.18 SAR 8.17

-15.60%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$3.29 SAR 12.35

11.55%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.32 SAR 1.20

15.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.84 SAR 3.17

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$1.83 SAR 6.85

15.30%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$1.97 SAR 7.40

16.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$6.67 SAR 25.03

-5.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$8.91 SAR 33.42

-16.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$8.23 SAR 30.85

22.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$1.56 SAR 5.85

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.50 SAR 5.62

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.30 SAR 4.86

11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.96 SAR 7.34

-14.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.31 SAR 4.90

-2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.06 SAR 3.96

22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.48 SAR 1.82

22.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$2.57 SAR 9.65

64.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-10.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$2.11 SAR 7.92

-4.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$7.20 SAR 26.98

11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$39.36 SAR 148

0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.69 SAR 10.08

23.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$1.90 SAR 7.11

43.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$13.46 SAR 50.5

-2.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$26.6K SAR 99.6K

-14.33%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$22.1K SAR 82.9K

-5.64%

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

$117 SAR 438

$52.5 SAR 197

122.74%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$21.05 SAR 78.9

82.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$47.26 SAR 177

33.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$67.0 SAR 251

3.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$35.14 SAR 132

-12.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$14.69 SAR 55.1

2.25%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$360 SAR 1,350

17.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$6,874 SAR 25.8K

21.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$60.3 SAR 226

11.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$61.3 SAR 230

7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$78.1 SAR 293

18.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$83.1 SAR 311

5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$483 SAR 1,813

-7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$329 SAR 1,234

14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$448 SAR 1,680

78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$356 SAR 1,337

79.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

$2,369 SAR 8,883

-62.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

$1,314 SAR 4,926

-40.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$1,052 SAR 3,944

87.68%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $483 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 88% 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 $25.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $179 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 21% 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 88% 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $483 in Ha'il. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,024 in Ha'il – a 21% 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 $1,024 in Ha'il versus $1,237 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 21% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.