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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in Ad Dammam versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,450 in Ad Dammam versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 16% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 12% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 SAR 29.66

$6.83 SAR 25.66

15.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 SAR 132

$60.2 SAR 226

-41.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 SAR 25.48

$7.83 SAR 29.42

-13.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-28.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-14.62%

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-33.33%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.90

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.77

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.63 SAR 6.10

10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.26 SAR 4.72

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-26.09%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.26

$7.20 SAR 27.04

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SAR 29.06

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-22.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.63

$11.85 SAR 44.49

9.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-20.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-5.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-22.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-13.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-31.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-26.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.77

$2.61 SAR 9.81

60.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.59 SAR 5.97

-4.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

$1.93 SAR 7.23

14.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.45

$6.82 SAR 25.63

11.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$0.80 SAR 3.02

22.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.71 SAR 134

$68.8 SAR 258

-48.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-18.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-1.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$6.69 SAR 25.13

102.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

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

$66.7K SAR 250.4K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-1.75%

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

$21.0K SAR 79.0K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-5.35%

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

$127 SAR 478

$98.7 SAR 371

28.92%

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

$32.69 SAR 123

$32.44 SAR 122

0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$68.3 SAR 257

-5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 SAR 292

$82.1 SAR 308

-5.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.77 SAR 108

$36.49 SAR 137

-21.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-9.77%

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

$419 SAR 1,574

$611 SAR 2,294

-31.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,803 SAR 29.3K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-7.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.01 SAR 158

$63.4 SAR 238

-33.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 SAR 186

$81.7 SAR 307

-39.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$97.2 SAR 365

0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 SAR 344

$94.5 SAR 355

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 SAR 2,193

$642 SAR 2,412

-9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,385

$512 SAR 1,921

-27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SAR 3,700

$1,183 SAR 4,442

-16.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 SAR 2,529

$852 SAR 3,201

-20.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,416 SAR 5,319

$2,432 SAR 9,134

-41.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$600 SAR 2,253

$1,467 SAR 5,512

-59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,520 SAR 5,708

$1,830 SAR 6,872

-16.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.88

0.34%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ad Dammam and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $219 per month, with Ad Dammam 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 Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Al Khobar. 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, salaries run 20% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $584 in Ad Dammam versus $642 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,434 in Al Khobar – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 93% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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, Ad Dammam and Al Khobar 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 19% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.