Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ha'il Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ha'il

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,041 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,491 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $1,940 in Ha'il.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 27% more expensive than in Ha'il, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Ha'il 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$6.57 SAR 24.68

-1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$25.76 SAR 96.8

106.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.13 SAR 26.76

9.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.09 SAR 4.09

85.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$2.10 SAR 7.88

25.71%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$3.27 SAR 12.26

33.94%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.01 SAR 3.78

0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.32 SAR 1.20

59.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.75 SAR 6.56

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.81 SAR 3.03

71.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.91 SAR 7.18

25.65%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$1.95 SAR 7.31

45.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$6.63 SAR 24.89

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$8.92 SAR 33.48

0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$8.48 SAR 31.86

50.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$1.55 SAR 5.83

63.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.52 SAR 5.69

14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.26 SAR 4.72

70.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-22.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.34 SAR 5.04

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.56 SAR 5.85

6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.06 SAR 3.97

61.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.49 SAR 1.85

18.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.43 SAR 9.11

7.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-15.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$7.02 SAR 26.34

-5.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.94 SAR 150

54.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-17.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-28.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.09 SAR 49.14

-48.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.59 SAR 2.23

10.17%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

-21.81%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

1.06%

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

$122 SAR 458

$54.0 SAR 203

125.65%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$21.59 SAR 81.1

58.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$46.03 SAR 173

76.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$66.3 SAR 249

60.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$36.21 SAR 136

1.24%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$14.70 SAR 55.2

16.46%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$352 SAR 1,320

-14.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$7,085 SAR 26.6K

7.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$59.2 SAR 222

7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$60.4 SAR 227

14.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$77.9 SAR 292

28.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$80.6 SAR 303

-3.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$498 SAR 1,871

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$330 SAR 1,241

19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$440 SAR 1,651

138.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$361 SAR 1,355

121.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,366 SAR 8,885

0.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,332 SAR 5,001

9.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$1,064 SAR 3,994

71.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $498 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 71% 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 Al Khobar vs $26.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 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

Al Khobar vs Ha'il: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha'il wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Al Khobar. 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 71% higher in Al Khobar, 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $498 in Ha'il. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ha'il runs roughly 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $352 in Ha'il. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,041 in Ha'il versus $1,323 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ha'il but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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, Al Khobar 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 27% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.