Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Al-Ula Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Al-Ula

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Ad Dammam versus $1,183 in Al-Ula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,866 in Ad Dammam versus $1,767 in Al-Ula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,516 in Ad Dammam versus $2,352 in Al-Ula.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 3% more expensive than in Al-Ula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 12% lower, Al-Ula 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 SAR 30.39

$7.03 SAR 26.42

15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.39 SAR 129

$37.79 SAR 142

-9.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.57 SAR 24.69

$8.16 SAR 30.63

-19.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.90 SAR 7.15

0.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$2.01 SAR 7.56

10.95%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SAR 11.65

$3.39 SAR 12.75

-8.55%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.95

$0.84 SAR 3.15

-5.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.26 SAR 0.98

-23.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.69 SAR 6.33

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$1.11 SAR 4.18

19.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.17 SAR 8.13

-11.52%

Eggs

$2.13 SAR 7.98

$2.42 SAR 9.09

-11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 SAR 27.77

$7.18 SAR 26.98

2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 SAR 29.36

$7.85 SAR 29.49

-0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 SAR 47.79

$12.62 SAR 47.38

0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.13 SAR 7.98

2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-2.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-0.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.60 SAR 6.02

1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$1.02 SAR 3.85

4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.52

$1.35 SAR 5.08

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.14 SAR 4.30

12.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.57 SAR 2.12

1.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.09 SAR 15.37

$2.84 SAR 10.65

44.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-17.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.16 SAR 8.13

0.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.80 SAR 29.30

$6.51 SAR 24.46

19.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.95 SAR 3.57

2.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 SAR 135

$30.74 SAR 115

16.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$2.79 SAR 10.47

-6.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.99 SAR 7.47

30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.4

$12.55 SAR 47.15

6.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.62 SAR 2.33

3.23%

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

$67.7K SAR 254.2K

$49.6K SAR 186.2K

36.55%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

1.05%

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

$128 SAR 482

$110 SAR 414

16.34%

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

$33.46 SAR 126

$36.64 SAR 138

-8.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 SAR 233

$60.9 SAR 229

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 SAR 292

$91.3 SAR 343

-14.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.85 SAR 108

$35.84 SAR 135

-19.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.40 SAR 50.3

$12.31 SAR 46.23

8.85%

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

$417 SAR 1,566

$386 SAR 1,451

7.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,868 SAR 29.5K

$6,728 SAR 25.3K

16.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.40 SAR 155

$46.30 SAR 174

-10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.15 SAR 185

$59.0 SAR 221

-16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SAR 360

$101 SAR 379

-5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 SAR 340

$93.7 SAR 352

-3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 SAR 2,128

$628 SAR 2,359

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,388

$380 SAR 1,428

-2.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 SAR 3,781

$886 SAR 3,326

13.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SAR 2,490

$498 SAR 1,870

33.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$2,450 SAR 9,202

-43.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$595 SAR 2,235

$1,328 SAR 4,986

-55.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,532 SAR 5,754

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.47

7.86%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $567 in Ad Dammam and $628 in Al-Ula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Ad Dammam vs $38.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $197, with Al-Ula 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Ula wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al-Ula the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Ad Dammam and $1,774 in Al-Ula 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: $567 in Ad Dammam versus $628 in Al-Ula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,183 in Al-Ula – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Ula runs roughly 17% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,183 in Al-Ula versus $1,215 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-Ula but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Ula 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-Ula 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-Ula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.