Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Al-hawiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Al-hawiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,204 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,854 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,504 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$6.52 SAR 24.50

14.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$43.75 SAR 164

21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.91 SAR 29.72

0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.77 SAR 6.66

6.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.82 SAR 6.82

1.65%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.71 SAR 13.92

-4.31%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.80 SAR 2.99

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.31 SAR 1.17

22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.02 SAR 3.82

39.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.32 SAR 8.71

-8.62%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.41 SAR 9.05

-4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$6.99 SAR 26.24

-14.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$7.58 SAR 28.48

-3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$12.84 SAR 48.22

-21.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-7.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.73 SAR 6.50

-19.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.57 SAR 5.88

5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.24 SAR 4.65

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.28 SAR 4.79

7.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.19 SAR 4.45

8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.55 SAR 2.07

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$3.02 SAR 11.36

36.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-8.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.03 SAR 7.61

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$6.86 SAR 25.76

13.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-10.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$39.56 SAR 149

-0.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.60 SAR 9.75

27.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.89 SAR 7.10

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.43 SAR 50.4

1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.24

1.67%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

-16.19%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

-6.39%

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

$118 SAR 444

$105 SAR 393

13.12%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$33.27 SAR 125

16.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$71.6 SAR 269

-11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$88.9 SAR 334

-20.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$35.66 SAR 134

-13.38%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$15.40 SAR 57.8

-0.65%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$350 SAR 1,313

21.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$7,026 SAR 26.4K

16.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$58.4 SAR 219

16.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$60.7 SAR 228

11.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$77.9 SAR 292

16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$83.1 SAR 312

3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$431 SAR 1,618

4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$386 SAR 1,450

-2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$849 SAR 3,187

-6.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$617 SAR 2,317

3.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,514 SAR 9,440

-47.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,367 SAR 5,134

-40.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $431 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $44.00 in Al-hawiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $197, 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

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

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

You'd need roughly $1,816 in Ad Dammam and $1,805 in Al-hawiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $431 in Al-hawiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,204 in Al-hawiyah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,204 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-hawiyah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Al-hawiyah 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, Ad Dammam and Al-hawiyah 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 Al-hawiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.