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: $1,214 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,788 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,362 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 SAR 19.76

$7.49 SAR 28.11

-29.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.33 SAR 98.8

$54.1 SAR 203

-51.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 SAR 23.91

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-18.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-18.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.82 SAR 6.82

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$3.40 SAR 12.74

$3.60 SAR 13.51

-5.56%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.59

$0.89 SAR 3.34

-22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.82

$0.35 SAR 1.31

-37.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$1.66 SAR 6.24

18.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-33.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.00 SAR 7.52

17.00%

Eggs

$2.44 SAR 9.17

$2.24 SAR 8.41

8.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 SAR 26.34

$6.01 SAR 22.56

16.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 SAR 27.31

$7.22 SAR 27.11

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.31

$9.97 SAR 37.41

29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$2.17 SAR 8.16

0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.50 SAR 5.61

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.32

$1.41 SAR 5.28

19.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.60 SAR 6.01

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.22 SAR 4.59

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.34

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-34.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

$1.62 SAR 6.08

4.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

$2.00 SAR 7.49

0.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 SAR 26.79

$7.84 SAR 29.43

-8.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.95 SAR 3.56

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.08 SAR 150

$40.76 SAR 153

-1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.36 SAR 12.60

-22.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-3.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$0.61 SAR 2.28

6.56%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

16.66%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

9.91%

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

$103 SAR 388

$117 SAR 440

-11.81%

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

$33.83 SAR 127

$38.94 SAR 146

-13.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 SAR 272

$62.3 SAR 234

16.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$69.0 SAR 259

27.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$30.82 SAR 116

15.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 SAR 58.9

$15.05 SAR 56.5

4.19%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$414 SAR 1,552

-16.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-14.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$69.0 SAR 259

-14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 227

$67.6 SAR 254

-10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 294

$90.7 SAR 340

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$85.9 SAR 322

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$445 SAR 1,669

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,425

$385 SAR 1,446

-1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,248

$800 SAR 3,002

8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,317

$635 SAR 2,382

-2.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 SAR 7,617

$1,331 SAR 4,995

52.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 SAR 5,661

$804 SAR 3,019

87.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,379 SAR 5,174

$1,884 SAR 7,071

-26.82%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Hafar Al Batin and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 37% 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 $198 vs $185, 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, Ad Dammam earns 37% 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: $434 in Hafar Al Batin versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,214 per month in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,207 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 2% less than in Hafar Al Batin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,214 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.