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: $1,038 in Ha'il versus $1,353 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Ha'il versus $2,112 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Ha'il versus $2,870 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 23% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha'il is 22% below, Al Khobar is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.80

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.32 SAR 95.0

$54.0 SAR 203

-53.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 SAR 25.88

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-14.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-44.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$2.60 SAR 9.74

-16.15%

Cappuccino

$3.25 SAR 12.19

$4.23 SAR 15.86

-23.17%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$0.94 SAR 3.51

6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.19

$0.48 SAR 1.81

-33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.70 SAR 6.38

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-37.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

$2.37 SAR 8.90

-19.83%

Eggs

$1.87 SAR 7.00

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-33.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 SAR 24.45

$6.79 SAR 25.46

-3.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 SAR 33.27

$9.15 SAR 34.33

-3.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 SAR 30.76

$12.28 SAR 46.09

-33.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.65

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-39.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.73 SAR 6.50

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-43.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 SAR 7.28

$1.58 SAR 5.92

22.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.49 SAR 5.60

-8.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 SAR 1.70

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.70 SAR 10.12

-9.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.48 SAR 5.56

15.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

$1.96 SAR 7.35

3.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$6.68 SAR 25.08

2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.89 SAR 3.32

17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.71 SAR 153

$59.6 SAR 224

-31.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$2.24 SAR 8.41

22.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$1.36 SAR 5.11

39.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$6.83 SAR 25.65

98.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

$21.7K SAR 81.6K

21.73%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.1K

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

-4.31%

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

$54.1 SAR 203

$122 SAR 457

-55.58%

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

$21.30 SAR 79.9

$34.14 SAR 128

-37.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.32 SAR 178

$80.5 SAR 302

-41.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 SAR 246

$108 SAR 404

-39.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.00 SAR 131

$36.22 SAR 136

-3.37%

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 SAR 55.1

$17.10 SAR 64.2

-14.15%

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

$348 SAR 1,305

$311 SAR 1,169

11.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,962 SAR 26.1K

$7,735 SAR 29.0K

-9.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$64.5 SAR 242

-7.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 SAR 230

$71.1 SAR 267

-13.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 SAR 292

$99.0 SAR 372

-21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 SAR 312

$80.7 SAR 303

3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 SAR 1,850

$432 SAR 1,619

14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 SAR 1,220

$393 SAR 1,476

-17.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 SAR 1,667

$1,052 SAR 3,949

-57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 SAR 1,324

$804 SAR 3,016

-56.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 SAR 8,999

$2,374 SAR 8,910

1.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,343 SAR 5,041

$1,456 SAR 5,464

-7.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,073 SAR 4,027

$1,847 SAR 6,931

-41.90%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $493 in Ha'il and $432 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 72% 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 Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 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 30% 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 72% 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: $493 in Ha'il versus $432 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 46% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $348 in Ha'il versus $311 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,038 in Ha'il versus $1,353 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 30% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.