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: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,024 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,474 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $1,925 in Ha'il.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 31% more expensive than Ha'il, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Ha'il is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$6.83 SAR 25.60

-0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$25.28 SAR 94.8

107.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$7.19 SAR 26.97

8.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.05 SAR 3.93

93.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.18 SAR 8.17

25.23%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.29 SAR 12.35

28.57%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.32 SAR 1.20

53.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.72 SAR 6.45

2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.84 SAR 3.17

59.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.83 SAR 6.85

31.15%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$1.97 SAR 7.40

43.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$6.67 SAR 25.03

3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$8.91 SAR 33.42

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$8.23 SAR 30.85

50.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$1.56 SAR 5.85

55.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.50 SAR 5.62

15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.30 SAR 4.86

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.96 SAR 7.34

-17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.31 SAR 4.90

9.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.63 SAR 6.13

5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.06 SAR 3.96

61.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.48 SAR 1.82

22.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.57 SAR 9.65

5.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-16.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.11 SAR 7.92

-11.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.20 SAR 26.98

-8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$39.36 SAR 148

51.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$2.69 SAR 10.08

-17.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.90 SAR 7.11

-31.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.46 SAR 50.5

-50.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.63 SAR 2.36

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$26.6K SAR 99.6K

-20.92%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$22.1K SAR 82.9K

4.37%

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

$123 SAR 461

$52.5 SAR 197

134.19%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$21.05 SAR 78.9

62.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$47.26 SAR 177

71.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$67.0 SAR 251

62.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$35.14 SAR 132

2.65%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$14.69 SAR 55.1

16.75%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$360 SAR 1,350

-15.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$6,874 SAR 25.8K

9.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$60.3 SAR 226

4.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$61.3 SAR 230

12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$78.1 SAR 293

26.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$83.1 SAR 311

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$483 SAR 1,813

-9.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$329 SAR 1,234

19.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$448 SAR 1,680

135.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$356 SAR 1,337

121.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,369 SAR 8,883

1.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,314 SAR 4,926

9.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,052 SAR 3,944

84.64%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ha'il: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $483 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 85% 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: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $25.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 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 31% 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 85% 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: $437 in Al Khobar versus $483 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $360 in Ha'il. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,024 in Ha'il versus $1,341 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 31% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.