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: $1,353 in Al Khobar versus $1,038 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,112 in Al Khobar versus $1,487 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,870 in Al Khobar versus $1,937 in Ha'il.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 30% more expensive than Ha'il, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 1% above, Ha'il is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.80

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$25.32 SAR 95.0

113.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$6.90 SAR 25.88

16.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$1.09 SAR 4.10

80.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

$2.18 SAR 8.18

19.27%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.86

$3.25 SAR 12.19

30.15%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.00 SAR 3.74

-6.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.81

$0.32 SAR 1.19

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.87 SAR 3.25

60.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.90

$1.90 SAR 7.15

24.74%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$1.87 SAR 7.00

51.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 SAR 25.46

$6.52 SAR 24.45

4.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 SAR 34.33

$8.87 SAR 33.27

3.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 SAR 46.09

$8.20 SAR 30.76

49.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.39

$1.51 SAR 5.65

65.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.57 SAR 5.88

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.25 SAR 4.69

76.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.94 SAR 7.28

-18.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.36 SAR 5.12

9.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.57 SAR 5.90

10.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.10 SAR 4.12

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.45 SAR 1.70

33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$2.45 SAR 9.21

10.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-13.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 SAR 25.08

$6.83 SAR 25.65

-2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.32

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-15.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 SAR 224

$40.71 SAR 153

46.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-18.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.90 SAR 7.12

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-49.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.63 SAR 2.37

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

$21.7K SAR 81.6K

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

-17.85%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

$22.2K SAR 83.1K

4.50%

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

$122 SAR 457

$54.1 SAR 203

125.10%

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

$34.14 SAR 128

$21.30 SAR 79.9

60.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 SAR 302

$47.32 SAR 178

70.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$65.5 SAR 246

64.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.22 SAR 136

$35.00 SAR 131

3.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 SAR 64.2

$14.68 SAR 55.1

16.49%

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

$311 SAR 1,169

$348 SAR 1,305

-10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,735 SAR 29.0K

$6,962 SAR 26.1K

11.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$59.4 SAR 223

8.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 SAR 267

$61.4 SAR 230

15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SAR 372

$77.8 SAR 292

27.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 SAR 303

$83.2 SAR 312

-3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 SAR 1,619

$493 SAR 1,850

-12.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 SAR 1,476

$325 SAR 1,220

20.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 SAR 3,949

$444 SAR 1,667

136.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 SAR 3,016

$353 SAR 1,324

127.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 SAR 8,910

$2,398 SAR 8,999

-0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 SAR 5,464

$1,343 SAR 5,041

8.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,847 SAR 6,931

$1,073 SAR 4,027

72.11%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Al Khobar and $493 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 72% 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 Al Khobar vs $25.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $178 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 30% 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.

Al Khobar pays 72% 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: $432 in Al Khobar versus $493 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 46% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $311 in Al Khobar versus $348 in Ha'il. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,038 in Ha'il versus $1,353 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 30% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.