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: $1,024 in Ha'il versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,474 in Ha'il versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,925 in Ha'il versus $2,931 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 24% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha'il is 24% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.60

$6.80 SAR 25.51

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 SAR 94.8

$52.4 SAR 196

-51.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 SAR 26.97

$7.81 SAR 29.27

-7.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-48.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-20.15%

Cappuccino

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-22.22%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.02 SAR 3.84

1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.20

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 SAR 3.17

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-37.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.85

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-23.75%

Eggs

$1.97 SAR 7.40

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-30.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$6.88 SAR 25.80

-3.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 SAR 33.42

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.23 SAR 30.85

$12.37 SAR 46.39

-33.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-35.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$1.62 SAR 6.08

20.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-8.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-5.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-38.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.82

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-18.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.57 SAR 9.65

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-5.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.47 SAR 5.50

19.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$1.87 SAR 7.02

12.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 SAR 26.98

$6.59 SAR 24.71

9.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.91 SAR 3.40

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.36 SAR 148

$59.5 SAR 223

-33.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.08

$2.21 SAR 8.29

21.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.11

$1.31 SAR 4.90

45.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 SAR 50.5

$6.69 SAR 25.08

101.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$26.6K SAR 99.6K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

26.45%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.9K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

-4.19%

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

$52.5 SAR 197

$123 SAR 461

-57.30%

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

$21.05 SAR 78.9

$34.30 SAR 129

-38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.26 SAR 177

$80.9 SAR 303

-41.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.0 SAR 251

$109 SAR 409

-38.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.14 SAR 132

$36.07 SAR 135

-2.58%

Cinema Ticket

$14.69 SAR 55.1

$17.15 SAR 64.3

-14.34%

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

$360 SAR 1,350

$306 SAR 1,147

17.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,874 SAR 25.8K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

-8.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 SAR 226

$62.9 SAR 236

-4.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 SAR 230

$68.8 SAR 258

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 SAR 293

$99.1 SAR 372

-21.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 SAR 311

$79.1 SAR 297

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,813

$437 SAR 1,639

10.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 SAR 1,234

$394 SAR 1,479

-16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,680

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-57.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,337

$788 SAR 2,955

-54.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,369 SAR 8,883

$2,411 SAR 9,040

-1.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 SAR 4,926

$1,432 SAR 5,370

-8.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 SAR 3,944

$1,942 SAR 7,283

-45.84%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Ha'il and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 85% 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 $52.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 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 31% 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, Al Khobar earns 85% 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 $437 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $360 in Ha'il versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,024 in Ha'il versus $1,341 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 31% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.