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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 10% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 10% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.75 SAR 25.34

8.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$52.6 SAR 197

2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-0.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-9.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-33.09%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-14.35%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-31.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.38 SAR 5.17

5.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-10.30%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-23.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$6.59 SAR 24.72

-8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-22.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$12.70 SAR 47.65

-24.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-15.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-34.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.64 SAR 6.17

1.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-10.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-20.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-11.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.68 SAR 10.05

56.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.42 SAR 5.34

12.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.97 SAR 7.39

0.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.75 SAR 25.35

17.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$0.92 SAR 3.45

-3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$61.6 SAR 231

-34.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.25 SAR 8.44

46.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.30 SAR 4.87

103.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$6.59 SAR 24.74

101.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.60 SAR 2.25

6.67%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

9.01%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-6.20%

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

$117 SAR 438

$123 SAR 461

-4.93%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$34.93 SAR 131

9.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$80.1 SAR 301

-20.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$107 SAR 400

-33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$36.08 SAR 135

-15.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-12.00%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$307 SAR 1,151

35.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

8.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$63.8 SAR 239

4.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$70.0 SAR 263

-2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$98.7 SAR 370

-7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$80.8 SAR 303

5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$433 SAR 1,624

3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$397 SAR 1,489

-5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-22.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$790 SAR 2,965

-18.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-45.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-44.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$1,866 SAR 7,005

1.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

3.84

12.76%

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 Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 2% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $217, 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 Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 11% 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.

Ad Dammam pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $433 in Al Khobar. 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 $1,344 in Al Khobar – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,344 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 11% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.