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: $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,860 in Ad Dammam versus $1,780 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Ad Dammam versus $2,348 in Hafar Al Batin.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 1% less than in Hafar Al Batin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Hafar Al Batin 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 SAR 27.37

$5.37 SAR 20.18

35.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 SAR 202

$26.16 SAR 98.2

105.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.16

$6.40 SAR 24.04

25.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.57 SAR 5.88

15.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.76 SAR 6.62

7.95%

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 14.00

$3.54 SAR 13.29

5.37%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.64 SAR 2.40

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.24 SAR 0.91

45.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.96 SAR 7.34

-16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$0.99 SAR 3.72

47.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.38 SAR 8.95

-12.18%

Eggs

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 SAR 22.97

$7.04 SAR 26.43

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.23

$7.48 SAR 28.08

-3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 SAR 36.42

$13.23 SAR 49.69

-26.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.27 SAR 8.51

-6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.64 SAR 6.14

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.73 SAR 6.48

-19.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.29 SAR 4.83

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.28 SAR 4.79

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.23 SAR 4.61

10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.59 SAR 2.23

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

$2.89 SAR 10.84

42.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-12.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-4.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$6.93 SAR 26.02

11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-8.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.54 SAR 148

$40.05 SAR 150

-1.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$2.73 SAR 10.25

23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$1.93 SAR 7.23

35.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$13.15 SAR 49.37

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.67 SAR 2.51

-10.45%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

-13.12%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$22.0K SAR 82.6K

-4.20%

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

$115 SAR 432

$105 SAR 394

9.61%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$33.09 SAR 124

16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 239

$72.5 SAR 272

-12.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 SAR 265

$88.2 SAR 331

-20.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.26 SAR 117

$35.45 SAR 133

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 SAR 56.6

$15.51 SAR 58.2

-2.90%

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

$415 SAR 1,558

$347 SAR 1,302

19.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

$7,004 SAR 26.3K

16.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 SAR 258

$59.3 SAR 223

15.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 SAR 250

$60.1 SAR 226

11.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 348

$78.6 SAR 295

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 SAR 322

$81.8 SAR 307

4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,677

$441 SAR 1,657

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 SAR 1,421

$376 SAR 1,411

0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 SAR 3,021

$849 SAR 3,188

-5.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,350

$617 SAR 2,315

1.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,353 SAR 5,082

$2,667 SAR 10.0K

-49.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 SAR 3,063

$1,386 SAR 5,204

-41.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 SAR 5,669

$1,422 SAR 5,341

6.13%

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 Hafar Al Batin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $441 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $202, 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

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

Average pay runs 6% 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 $441 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,196 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,213 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 Ad Dammam runs roughly 1% less than in Hafar Al Batin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Hafar Al Batin. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Hafar Al Batin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.