Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and AL Kharj Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and AL Kharj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $969 in AL Kharj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,519 in AL Kharj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,068 in AL Kharj.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 25% more expensive than AL Kharj, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, AL Kharj 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.47 SAR 24.27

12.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$26.35 SAR 98.9

103.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.97 SAR 29.91

0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.77 SAR 6.64

3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.37 SAR 5.13

32.85%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$2.48 SAR 9.31

49.19%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.75 SAR 2.83

22.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.13 SAR 0.47

169.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.63 SAR 6.10

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.28 SAR 1.06

417.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-11.81%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.03 SAR 7.62

10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$8.31 SAR 31.20

-27.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$4.92 SAR 18.46

45.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$13.46 SAR 50.5

-28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$1.98 SAR 7.43

6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.23 SAR 4.60

21.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$0.89 SAR 3.33

55.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.37 SAR 5.13

21.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.96 SAR 3.60

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$0.88 SAR 3.32

51.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$0.82 SAR 3.10

64.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.19 SAR 8.22

91.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.37 SAR 5.14

16.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-16.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.42 SAR 24.09

23.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-16.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$40.41 SAR 152

-0.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.69 SAR 10.11

22.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$0.55 SAR 2.08

381.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.59 SAR 2.20

8.47%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$33.9K SAR 127.4K

-32.06%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$23.2K SAR 87.2K

-8.45%

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

$117 SAR 438

$106 SAR 398

9.97%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$26.15 SAR 98.2

46.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$51.2 SAR 192

24.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$65.7 SAR 247

7.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$40.52 SAR 152

-24.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$15.68 SAR 58.9

-0.89%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$178 SAR 668

133.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$3,778 SAR 14.2K

116.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$59.6 SAR 224

12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$53.7 SAR 202

26.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$53.3 SAR 200

70.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$78.6 SAR 295

8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$637 SAR 2,391

-29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$229 SAR 861

63.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$488 SAR 1,833

63.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$501 SAR 1,879

28.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$2,845 SAR 10.7K

-33.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

5.31

-18.46%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Last update for AL Kharj: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $637 in AL Kharj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

AL Kharj pays 50% 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 $26.00 in AL Kharj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $169 per month, with AL Kharj 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 Kharj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

AL Kharj wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making AL Kharj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, AL Kharj earns 50% 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $637 in AL Kharj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $969 in AL Kharj – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in AL Kharj 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 $969 in AL Kharj versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in AL Kharj but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes AL Kharj 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 Kharj 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 Kharj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.