Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,780 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,860 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,348 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,524 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Hafar Al Batin is roughly 1% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hafar Al Batin 9% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 SAR 20.18

$7.29 SAR 27.37

-26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.16 SAR 98.2

$53.7 SAR 202

-51.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 SAR 24.04

$8.03 SAR 30.16

-20.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-13.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-7.37%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.29

$3.73 SAR 14.00

-5.09%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.91

$0.35 SAR 1.30

-31.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$1.63 SAR 6.13

20.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-32.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$2.09 SAR 7.86

13.88%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.27 SAR 8.53

8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$6.12 SAR 22.97

15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$7.25 SAR 27.23

3.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 SAR 49.69

$9.70 SAR 36.42

36.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.12 SAR 7.95

7.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.49 SAR 5.61

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

$1.40 SAR 5.24

23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.59 SAR 5.98

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.28 SAR 4.82

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.32 SAR 4.97

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-9.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.59 SAR 2.21

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.84

$4.13 SAR 15.50

-30.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.56 SAR 5.85

14.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$1.92 SAR 7.22

4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 SAR 26.02

$7.76 SAR 29.13

-10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.95 SAR 3.57

9.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 SAR 150

$39.54 SAR 148

1.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.25

$3.38 SAR 12.70

-19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.62 SAR 9.86

-26.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 SAR 49.37

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 SAR 2.51

$0.60 SAR 2.25

11.67%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

15.09%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.6K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

4.39%

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

$105 SAR 394

$115 SAR 432

-8.77%

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

$33.09 SAR 124

$38.60 SAR 145

-14.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 SAR 272

$63.5 SAR 239

14.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 SAR 331

$70.5 SAR 265

25.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.45 SAR 133

$31.26 SAR 117

13.40%

Cinema Ticket

$15.51 SAR 58.2

$15.06 SAR 56.6

2.99%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$415 SAR 1,558

-16.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,004 SAR 26.3K

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

-14.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 SAR 223

$68.6 SAR 258

-13.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 226

$66.7 SAR 250

-9.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 SAR 295

$92.6 SAR 348

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$85.7 SAR 322

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 SAR 1,657

$447 SAR 1,677

-1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,411

$378 SAR 1,421

-0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,188

$805 SAR 3,021

5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,315

$626 SAR 2,350

-1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,667 SAR 10.0K

$1,353 SAR 5,082

97.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 SAR 5,204

$816 SAR 3,063

69.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,422 SAR 5,341

$1,510 SAR 5,669

-5.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.33

2.08%

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

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Hafar Al Batin and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $184, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Hafar Al Batin vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Hafar Al Batin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Ad Dammam. 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: $441 in Hafar Al Batin versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,213 per month in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 1% less than in Hafar Al Batin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Hafar Al Batin. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam 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, Hafar Al Batin and Ad Dammam 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Hafar Al Batin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.