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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,011 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,581 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,152 in Ha'il.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 42% more expensive than in Ha'il, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Ha'il is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$5.21 SAR 19.57

31.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$37.78 SAR 142

59.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$6.12 SAR 22.98

27.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.18 SAR 4.44

128.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$2.00 SAR 7.52

30.00%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$2.63 SAR 9.87

69.96%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.61 SAR 2.29

62.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.24 SAR 0.89

70.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$0.84 SAR 3.16

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$1.89 SAR 7.10

33.86%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.94 SAR 7.27

21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$6.82 SAR 25.63

5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.56

$8.52 SAR 32.01

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.48

$8.27 SAR 31.06

43.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.35

$1.54 SAR 5.79

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.57 SAR 5.90

12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.25 SAR 4.68

63.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$2.04 SAR 7.68

-11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.32 SAR 4.94

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.61 SAR 6.05

5.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.14 SAR 4.29

50.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.48 SAR 1.82

22.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.74 SAR 10.29

-4.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-5.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.15 SAR 8.07

-10.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.47 SAR 24.29

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$36.42 SAR 137

88.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$2.87 SAR 10.77

16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.82 SAR 6.82

45.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.61 SAR 2.27

-1.64%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

$45.0K SAR 169.0K

50.77%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.6K SAR 81.3K

2.71%

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

$98.7 SAR 370

$54.2 SAR 204

81.93%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$21.14 SAR 79.4

53.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$46.43 SAR 174

47.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$66.4 SAR 249

23.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$36.77 SAR 138

-0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$14.92 SAR 56.0

0.87%

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

$611 SAR 2,293

$349 SAR 1,311

74.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$6,537 SAR 24.5K

28.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$50.8 SAR 191

24.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$59.0 SAR 221

38.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$89.9 SAR 337

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$243 SAR 912

164.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$344 SAR 1,292

48.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,441

$366 SAR 1,374

223.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,200

$540 SAR 2,030

57.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,133

$2,363 SAR 8,874

2.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,511

$1,352 SAR 5,076

8.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,871

$1,084 SAR 4,070

68.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $243 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 69% 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: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $38.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 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

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

Ha'il wins on cost – living expenses run 42% 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 69% 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $243 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 89% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $349 in Ha'il. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,011 in Ha'il versus $1,434 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 42% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.