Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Ha'il versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,456 in Ha'il versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,889 in Ha'il versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 15% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ha'il 24% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.31

$7.49 SAR 28.11

-10.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 SAR 95.6

$54.1 SAR 203

-52.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 SAR 27.11

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-7.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-44.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$1.82 SAR 6.82

14.84%

Cappuccino

$3.29 SAR 12.36

$3.60 SAR 13.51

-8.61%

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

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$0.89 SAR 3.34

15.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.20

$0.35 SAR 1.31

-8.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.66 SAR 6.24

1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-41.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-7.00%

Eggs

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 SAR 25.54

$6.01 SAR 22.56

13.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 SAR 31.84

$7.22 SAR 27.11

17.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 SAR 31.58

$9.97 SAR 37.41

-15.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$2.17 SAR 8.16

-29.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.50 SAR 5.61

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.41 SAR 5.28

-7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.32

$1.60 SAR 6.01

21.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.22 SAR 4.59

5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.39 SAR 5.22

14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-16.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.74 SAR 10.27

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-34.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

$1.62 SAR 6.08

9.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

$2.00 SAR 7.49

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.05 SAR 26.45

$7.84 SAR 29.43

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.95 SAR 3.56

14.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.68 SAR 153

$40.76 SAR 153

-0.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$3.36 SAR 12.60

-21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-29.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-4.92%

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

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

18.83%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

6.63%

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

$53.4 SAR 200

$117 SAR 440

-54.41%

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

$21.53 SAR 80.8

$38.94 SAR 146

-44.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.44 SAR 174

$62.3 SAR 234

-25.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 SAR 251

$69.0 SAR 259

-3.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.13 SAR 136

$30.82 SAR 116

17.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 SAR 55.7

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-1.33%

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

$356 SAR 1,336

$414 SAR 1,552

-13.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,030 SAR 26.4K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-14.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$69.0 SAR 259

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$67.6 SAR 254

-9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 SAR 298

$90.7 SAR 340

-12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 SAR 305

$85.9 SAR 322

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 SAR 1,840

$445 SAR 1,669

10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 SAR 1,223

$385 SAR 1,446

-15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,652

$800 SAR 3,002

-44.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 SAR 1,360

$635 SAR 2,382

-42.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,004

$1,331 SAR 4,995

80.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,311 SAR 4,921

$804 SAR 3,019

63.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$1,884 SAR 7,071

-43.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.33

2.08%

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

Last update for Ha'il: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Ha'il and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 77% 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: $25.00 in Ha'il vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $185 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

Ha'il vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha'il wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ha'il the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ad Dammam earns 77% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Ha'il versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,024 per month in Ha'il versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ha'il runs roughly 0% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,024 in Ha'il versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ha'il but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. 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, Ha'il and Ad Dammam 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 18% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.