Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Al Hufuf Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Al Hufuf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,049 in Al Hufuf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Ad Dammam versus $1,596 in Al Hufuf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Ad Dammam versus $2,143 in Al Hufuf.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 15% more expensive than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Al Hufuf 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 SAR 28.11

$6.61 SAR 24.81

13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$49.42 SAR 185

9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.79 SAR 29.23

-0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.72 SAR 6.45

11.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.58 SAR 5.93

15.19%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SAR 13.51

$4.09 SAR 15.35

-11.98%

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

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.64 SAR 2.42

39.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.31

$0.20 SAR 0.75

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.65 SAR 6.17

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.03 SAR 3.86

40.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.39 SAR 8.95

-16.32%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.03 SAR 7.60

10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.56

$5.79 SAR 21.71

3.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$6.46 SAR 24.22

11.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 SAR 37.41

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-26.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$1.74 SAR 6.53

24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.32 SAR 4.94

6.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.17 SAR 4.39

36.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.59

$0.97 SAR 3.63

25.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.00 SAR 3.77

39.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.30 SAR 4.88

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.57 SAR 2.13

3.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$3.00 SAR 11.27

39.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-5.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$1.14 SAR 4.28

75.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$6.22 SAR 23.32

26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-12.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.76 SAR 153

$40.35 SAR 151

1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 SAR 12.60

$2.70 SAR 10.12

24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.88 SAR 7.07

44.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$13.44 SAR 50.4

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.59 SAR 2.21

3.39%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

$34.3K SAR 128.6K

-33.25%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

-10.39%

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

$117 SAR 440

$81.3 SAR 305

44.15%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$32.03 SAR 120

21.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 SAR 234

$75.4 SAR 283

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 SAR 259

$145 SAR 543

-52.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$33.92 SAR 127

-9.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.10 SAR 49.16

14.89%

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

$414 SAR 1,552

$295 SAR 1,106

40.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

$4,187 SAR 15.7K

95.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$12.75 SAR 47.83

441.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$15.78 SAR 59.2

328.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 SAR 340

$41.71 SAR 157

117.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$33.72 SAR 127

154.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$363 SAR 1,362

22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 SAR 1,446

$270 SAR 1,014

42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$728 SAR 2,730

9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,382

$407 SAR 1,526

56.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 SAR 4,995

$2,394 SAR 8,985

-44.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 SAR 3,019

$1,338 SAR 5,020

-39.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

$1,977 SAR 7,420

-4.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

2.5

73.20%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $363 in Al Hufuf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hufuf pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $49.00 in Al Hufuf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $181 per month, with Al Hufuf 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

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

Al Hufuf wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Hufuf the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Hufuf earns 5% 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $363 in Al Hufuf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,049 in Al Hufuf – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al Hufuf 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 $1,049 in Al Hufuf versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Hufuf but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Al Hufuf 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 Hufuf 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 Hufuf gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.