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: $1,041 in Ha'il versus $1,323 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Ha'il versus $2,104 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,940 in Ha'il versus $2,885 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 21% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ha'il 22% lower, Al Khobar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 SAR 24.68

$6.47 SAR 24.31

1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 SAR 96.8

$53.2 SAR 200

-51.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 SAR 26.76

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-8.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-46.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$3.27 SAR 12.26

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-25.34%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.20

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-37.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.75 SAR 6.57

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-41.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 SAR 7.18

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-20.42%

Eggs

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 SAR 24.89

$6.64 SAR 24.92

-0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 SAR 33.48

$8.95 SAR 33.60

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.86

$12.73 SAR 47.82

-33.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-38.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.69

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-12.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-41.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.57 SAR 5.90

28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-5.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-38.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.85

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-15.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.61 SAR 9.82

-6.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.42 SAR 5.34

18.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.98 SAR 7.43

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 SAR 26.34

$6.62 SAR 24.86

6.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.96 SAR 3.60

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.94 SAR 150

$61.6 SAR 231

-35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$2.23 SAR 8.38

21.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.31 SAR 4.93

38.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 SAR 49.14

$6.79 SAR 25.48

92.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-9.23%

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

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

27.89%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-1.05%

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

$54.0 SAR 203

$122 SAR 458

-55.68%

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

$21.59 SAR 81.1

$34.21 SAR 128

-36.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.03 SAR 173

$81.4 SAR 306

-43.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 SAR 249

$106 SAR 400

-37.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.21 SAR 136

$36.66 SAR 138

-1.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 SAR 55.2

$17.12 SAR 64.3

-14.14%

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

$352 SAR 1,320

$301 SAR 1,129

16.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,085 SAR 26.6K

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

-7.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 SAR 222

$63.6 SAR 239

-7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 227

$69.1 SAR 259

-12.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 SAR 292

$100.0 SAR 375

-22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 SAR 303

$78.0 SAR 293

3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,871

$430 SAR 1,615

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 SAR 1,241

$394 SAR 1,479

-16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,651

$1,049 SAR 3,938

-58.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$800 SAR 3,004

-54.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 SAR 8,885

$2,385 SAR 8,955

-0.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 SAR 5,001

$1,459 SAR 5,479

-8.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 SAR 3,994

$1,822 SAR 6,843

-41.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Ha'il: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Ha'il and $430 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 71% 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: $26.00 in Ha'il vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $216 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 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 71% 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: $498 in Ha'il versus $430 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $352 in Ha'il versus $301 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,041 in Ha'il versus $1,323 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 27% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.