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 $1,237 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,474 in Ha'il versus $1,905 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,925 in Ha'il versus $2,574 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 17% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ha'il 24% lower, Ad Dammam 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.60

$7.31 SAR 27.41

-6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 SAR 94.8

$53.9 SAR 202

-53.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 SAR 26.97

$8.13 SAR 30.50

-11.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-43.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$1.84 SAR 6.91

18.48%

Cappuccino

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$3.67 SAR 13.78

-10.35%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.84 SAR 3.15

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.20

$0.37 SAR 1.39

-13.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 SAR 3.17

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.85

$2.11 SAR 7.91

-13.27%

Eggs

$1.97 SAR 7.40

$2.29 SAR 8.58

-13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$6.28 SAR 23.54

6.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 SAR 33.42

$7.43 SAR 27.85

19.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.23 SAR 30.85

$10.11 SAR 37.91

-18.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$2.21 SAR 8.27

-29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.48 SAR 5.57

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$1.67 SAR 6.25

17.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.28 SAR 4.82

2.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.33 SAR 4.98

22.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-18.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.82

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-18.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.57 SAR 9.65

$4.24 SAR 15.88

-39.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.57 SAR 5.87

11.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$2.02 SAR 7.56

4.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 SAR 26.98

$8.04 SAR 30.17

-10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.89 SAR 3.33

16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.36 SAR 148

$39.57 SAR 148

-0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.08

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.11

$2.73 SAR 10.22

-30.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 SAR 50.5

$13.14 SAR 49.27

2.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-1.56%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.6K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

16.72%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.9K

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

5.98%

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

$52.5 SAR 197

$117 SAR 438

-55.10%

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

$21.05 SAR 78.9

$38.51 SAR 144

-45.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.26 SAR 177

$63.3 SAR 237

-25.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.0 SAR 251

$69.6 SAR 261

-3.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.14 SAR 132

$30.63 SAR 115

14.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 SAR 55.1

$15.02 SAR 56.3

-2.20%

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

$360 SAR 1,350

$425 SAR 1,592

-15.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,874 SAR 25.8K

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

-17.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 SAR 226

$67.0 SAR 251

-10.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 SAR 230

$66.0 SAR 248

-7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 SAR 293

$92.6 SAR 347

-15.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 SAR 311

$87.2 SAR 327

-4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,813

$445 SAR 1,670

8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 SAR 1,234

$377 SAR 1,414

-12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,680

$799 SAR 2,997

-43.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,337

$640 SAR 2,398

-44.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,369 SAR 8,883

$894 SAR 3,352

165.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 SAR 4,926

$778 SAR 2,917

68.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 SAR 3,944

$1,974 SAR 7,403

-46.72%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Ha'il and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 88% 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 $179 vs $189 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 21% 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 88% 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: $483 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 $1,237 in Ad Dammam – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ha'il runs roughly 1% 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 $1,237 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 21% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.