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: $1,180 in Ad Dammam versus $1,074 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Ad Dammam versus $1,596 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,437 in Ad Dammam versus $2,118 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 10% more expensive than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 12% lower, Al-hawiyah 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$4.66 SAR 17.48

51.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.90 SAR 131

$26.67 SAR 100

30.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$6.85 SAR 25.70

-2.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.49 SAR 5.59

26.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.65

$1.51 SAR 5.66

52.98%

Cappuccino

$3.08 SAR 11.55

$2.53 SAR 9.50

21.74%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.71 SAR 2.65

7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 SAR 0.60

$0.23 SAR 0.86

-30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SAR 6.80

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-3.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$0.96 SAR 3.59

38.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$2.19 SAR 8.21

-10.50%

Eggs

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.55 SAR 9.58

-14.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 SAR 27.37

$5.80 SAR 21.78

25.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 SAR 30.39

$11.95 SAR 44.85

-32.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.71 SAR 47.72

$13.08 SAR 49.09

-2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$2.03 SAR 7.60

8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.62 SAR 6.07

3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.83 SAR 6.85

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.48 SAR 5.54

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.24

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-19.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.09 SAR 4.08

17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.17

$0.69 SAR 2.59

-15.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.17

$2.59 SAR 9.73

55.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$2.08 SAR 7.80

-28.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.57 SAR 5.89

40.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.71 SAR 28.96

$8.08 SAR 30.33

-4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.64

$1.12 SAR 4.20

-13.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.53 SAR 133

$31.31 SAR 118

13.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$2.42 SAR 9.09

11.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$2.74 SAR 10.29

-0.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.52 SAR 50.8

$13.50 SAR 50.7

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.61 SAR 2.28

3.28%

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

$67.2K SAR 252.3K

$44.4K SAR 166.7K

51.38%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

0.99%

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

$131 SAR 493

$66.5 SAR 249

97.77%

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

$32.52 SAR 122

$35.32 SAR 133

-7.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 SAR 240

$61.9 SAR 232

3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 SAR 284

$87.4 SAR 328

-13.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.99 SAR 105

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 SAR 51.0

$15.06 SAR 56.5

-9.76%

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

$421 SAR 1,582

$395 SAR 1,483

6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,860 SAR 29.5K

$8,923 SAR 33.5K

-11.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.50 SAR 160

$13.43 SAR 50.4

216.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 SAR 187

$53.8 SAR 202

-7.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$40.12 SAR 151

138.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 SAR 346

$53.4 SAR 200

72.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 SAR 2,187

$545 SAR 2,044

7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 SAR 1,390

$349 SAR 1,309

6.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 SAR 3,766

$873 SAR 3,279

14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 SAR 2,542

$560 SAR 2,102

20.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,395 SAR 5,237

$2,288 SAR 8,591

-39.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 SAR 2,286

$1,239 SAR 4,652

-50.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,507 SAR 5,658

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.25

12.38%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: October 5, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $583 in Ad Dammam and $545 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $27.00 in Al-hawiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $218, 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 10% 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 $1,770 in Ad Dammam and $1,610 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: $583 in Ad Dammam versus $545 in Al-hawiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,180 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,074 in Al-hawiyah – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-hawiyah runs roughly 13% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,074 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,180 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 10% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.