Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Hafar Al Batin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Hafar Al Batin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,225 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,809 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $2,392 in Hafar Al Batin.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than Hafar Al Batin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Hafar Al Batin 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$5.42 SAR 20.33

34.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$26.40 SAR 99.0

104.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$6.38 SAR 23.91

27.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.58 SAR 5.92

17.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.75 SAR 6.57

5.14%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$3.44 SAR 12.91

6.69%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.70 SAR 2.63

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.24 SAR 0.90

54.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-14.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.00 SAR 3.75

47.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-9.83%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.45 SAR 9.17

-6.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$6.82 SAR 25.58

-7.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$7.58 SAR 28.41

-1.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$13.02 SAR 48.83

-22.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.58 SAR 5.92

-6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.69 SAR 6.32

-14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.56 SAR 5.87

7.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.29 SAR 4.85

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.34 SAR 5.01

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.19 SAR 4.45

9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.59 SAR 2.21

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$2.77 SAR 10.40

53.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-6.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$7.06 SAR 26.46

13.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.04 SAR 3.90

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$40.53 SAR 152

-2.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.70 SAR 10.12

22.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$1.86 SAR 6.97

46.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$13.52 SAR 50.7

-2.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.66 SAR 2.47

-3.03%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$26.8K SAR 100.5K

-15.17%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

-8.01%

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

$117 SAR 438

$106 SAR 396

10.59%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$33.36 SAR 125

15.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$71.8 SAR 269

-11.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$88.4 SAR 331

-21.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$36.16 SAR 136

-15.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$15.46 SAR 58.0

-2.85%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$346 SAR 1,298

22.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$6,857 SAR 25.7K

21.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$60.1 SAR 225

11.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$59.9 SAR 225

10.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$79.7 SAR 299

16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$81.1 SAR 304

7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$432 SAR 1,620

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$385 SAR 1,445

-2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$835 SAR 3,132

-4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$616 SAR 2,308

3.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

$2,329 SAR 8,734

-61.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

$1,345 SAR 5,043

-42.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$1,425 SAR 5,342

38.56%

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 Hafar Al Batin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $432 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 39% 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 Hafar Al Batin. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $201, with Ad Dammam 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 Hafar Al Batin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafar Al Batin wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hafar Al Batin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ad Dammam pays 39% 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 $432 in Hafar Al Batin. 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 $1,225 in Hafar Al Batin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hafar Al Batin 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 $1,225 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hafar Al Batin but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Hafar Al Batin 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 Hafar Al Batin 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 Hafar Al Batin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.