Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Al Khobar

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha’il: $1,073 a month against $1,471 in Al Khobar, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Ha'il
Learn more

Ha'il Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Al Khobar
Learn more

Al Khobar Living Index

Jump to prices

Ha'il

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,073

/mo nomad

Al Khobar

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ha'il and in Al Khobar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ha'il and in Al Khobar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,073 in Ha’il versus $1,471 in Al Khobar.

Ha'il $1,073
Al Khobar $1,471

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Ha’il versus $2,231 in Al Khobar.

Ha'il $1,623
Al Khobar $2,231

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,174 in Ha’il versus $2,991 in Al Khobar.

Ha'il $2,174
Al Khobar $2,991

Living in Ha’il costs roughly 27% less than in Al Khobar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha’il is 21% below, Al Khobar is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 SAR 20.28

$6.74 SAR 25.29

-19.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.86 SAR 138

$60.2 SAR 226

-38.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 SAR 22.17

$8.14 SAR 30.57

-27.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 SAR 4.38

$2.60 SAR 9.76

-55.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.32

$2.67 SAR 10.03

-16.85%

Cappuccino

$2.60 SAR 9.77

$4.35 SAR 16.33

-40.23%

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

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$0.94 SAR 3.54

-35.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-43.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.65 SAR 6.18

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 SAR 3.21

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-30.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-23.58%

Eggs

$1.93 SAR 7.26

$2.35 SAR 8.81

-17.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.08

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-9.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 SAR 33.31

$10.09 SAR 37.87

-11.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 SAR 30.58

$11.69 SAR 43.86

-30.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.72 SAR 10.20

-45.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.77

$1.98 SAR 7.43

-35.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 SAR 7.28

$1.74 SAR 6.52

11.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-9.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-3.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.79

$0.53 SAR 2.01

-9.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$2.62 SAR 9.82

0.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.58 SAR 5.92

8.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$1.87 SAR 7.03

-3.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 SAR 25.42

$6.80 SAR 25.50

-0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.43

$0.93 SAR 3.49

-2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.03 SAR 135

$54.5 SAR 204

-33.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.04

$1.76 SAR 6.61

51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$2.68 SAR 10.07

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.82

$14.22 SAR 53.4

-6.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.63 SAR 2.38

1.59%

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

$31.0K SAR 116.5K

$66.8K SAR 250.9K

-53.58%

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

$21.8K SAR 81.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

1.82%

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

$52.8 SAR 198

$96.9 SAR 364

-45.46%

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

$21.29 SAR 79.9

$32.58 SAR 122

-34.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.84 SAR 172

$68.3 SAR 256

-32.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 SAR 248

$80.1 SAR 301

-17.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.26 SAR 98.6

$36.17 SAR 136

-27.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.67 SAR 55.1

$15.22 SAR 57.1

-3.61%

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

$419 SAR 1,571

$599 SAR 2,249

-30.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K SAR 45.5K

$18.6K SAR 69.9K

-34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.92 SAR 161

$63.5 SAR 238

-32.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 SAR 208

$83.0 SAR 311

-33.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 367

$97.4 SAR 366

0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 SAR 313

$94.8 SAR 356

-11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 SAR 904

$762 SAR 2,860

-68.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 SAR 1,525

$584 SAR 2,192

-30.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$1,226 SAR 4,602

-70.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,321

$912 SAR 3,424

-32.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,982 SAR 7,437

$1,437 SAR 5,392

37.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 SAR 4,507

$1,037 SAR 3,894

15.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 SAR 4,056

$1,872 SAR 7,028

-42.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.88

-5.78%

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

Last update for Ha'il: November 2, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ha'il

$406 37.9%

Al Khobar

$584 39.7% 43.7% $178

Groceries & Markets

Ha'il

$179 16.7%

Al Khobar

$217 14.8% 21.4% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Ha'il

$126 11.7%

Al Khobar

$152 10.4% 21.1% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ha'il

$120 11.2%

Al Khobar

$198 13.4% 64.8% $78

Eating Out

Ha'il

$96 8.9%

Al Khobar

$136 9.2% 42.3% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Ha'il

$95 8.9%

Al Khobar

$111 7.5% 16% $15

Getting Around

Ha'il

$51 4.8%

Al Khobar

$73 5% 43.2% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Ha’il and $762 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 73% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37 in Ha’il vs $60 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $217 per month, with Ha’il cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Ha'il

🇸🇦 Al Khobar

🕒 Local time

07:05 7:05 AM

Same time as Ha'il

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

310,897

219,679

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ha'il Al Khobar 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ha'il
Al Khobar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 27% 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 42% lower in Ha’il. 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: $241 in Ha’il versus $762 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 34% less than in Al Khobar. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $419 in Ha’il versus $599 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ha’il is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ha’il gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.