Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,011 in Ha'il versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

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

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

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 29% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 SAR 19.57

$6.83 SAR 25.65

-23.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 SAR 142

$60.2 SAR 226

-37.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 SAR 22.98

$7.83 SAR 29.42

-21.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-56.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-23.08%

Cappuccino

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-41.16%

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

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-38.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-41.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.63 SAR 6.10

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 SAR 3.16

$1.26 SAR 4.72

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-25.30%

Eggs

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$7.20 SAR 27.04

-5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 SAR 32.01

$10.00 SAR 37.56

-14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 SAR 31.06

$11.85 SAR 44.48

-30.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$2.76 SAR 10.35

-44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-10.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-38.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.68

$1.81 SAR 6.81

12.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-5.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.29

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-33.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.82

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-18.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.74 SAR 10.29

$2.61 SAR 9.81

4.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.59 SAR 5.97

6.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$1.93 SAR 7.23

11.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.29

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.80 SAR 3.01

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.42 SAR 137

$68.8 SAR 258

-47.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 SAR 10.77

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-14.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-31.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$6.69 SAR 25.13

100.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.27

$0.60 SAR 2.27

1.67%

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

$45.0K SAR 169.0K

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

-33.68%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.3K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-2.63%

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

$54.2 SAR 204

$98.7 SAR 370

-45.03%

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

$21.14 SAR 79.4

$32.44 SAR 122

-34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.43 SAR 174

$68.3 SAR 257

-32.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 SAR 249

$82.1 SAR 308

-19.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.77 SAR 138

$36.49 SAR 137

0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.92 SAR 56.0

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-0.86%

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

$349 SAR 1,311

$611 SAR 2,293

-42.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,537 SAR 24.5K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-22.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$63.4 SAR 238

-19.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 SAR 221

$81.7 SAR 307

-27.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

-0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 SAR 337

$94.5 SAR 355

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 SAR 912

$642 SAR 2,412

-62.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,292

$512 SAR 1,921

-32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,374

$1,183 SAR 4,441

-69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 SAR 2,030

$852 SAR 3,200

-36.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 SAR 8,874

$2,432 SAR 9,133

-2.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 SAR 5,076

$1,467 SAR 5,511

-7.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,084 SAR 4,070

$1,830 SAR 6,871

-40.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.88

-6.97%

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

Last update for Ha'il: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Ha'il and $642 in Al Khobar. 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: $38.00 in Ha'il vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $219 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 Al Khobar: 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.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $243 in Ha'il versus $642 in Al Khobar. 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 $349 in Ha'il versus $611 in Al Khobar. 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, Ha'il and Al Khobar 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.