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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,197 in Al-Ula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,832 in Al-Ula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,467 in Al-Ula.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Al-Ula 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.71 SAR 25.18

8.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$44.97 SAR 169

19.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.82 SAR 29.34

2.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.77 SAR 6.66

3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.74 SAR 14.02

-1.07%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.80 SAR 3.02

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.29 SAR 1.07

20.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.68 SAR 6.31

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.95 SAR 3.56

52.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-9.52%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$6.67 SAR 25.02

-9.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$7.71 SAR 28.94

-7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$13.05 SAR 48.97

-26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.59 SAR 5.95

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-17.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.56 SAR 5.85

6.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.24 SAR 4.66

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.27 SAR 4.75

4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.23 SAR 4.63

9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.87 SAR 10.78

45.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-9.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.06 SAR 7.74

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.19 SAR 26.98

10.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$40.67 SAR 153

-1.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.62 SAR 9.82

25.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.89 SAR 7.10

40.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-2.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

-14.40%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-6.45%

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

$117 SAR 438

$103 SAR 388

12.80%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$33.67 SAR 126

13.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$71.7 SAR 269

-11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$86.9 SAR 326

-18.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$35.90 SAR 135

-15.01%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$15.87 SAR 59.5

-2.08%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$354 SAR 1,330

17.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

17.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$60.2 SAR 226

10.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$59.2 SAR 222

15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$78.7 SAR 295

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$83.3 SAR 313

2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$444 SAR 1,667

0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$374 SAR 1,405

0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$863 SAR 3,238

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$615 SAR 2,309

4.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,395 SAR 8,988

-45.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,347 SAR 5,057

-40.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

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-Ula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $444 in Al-Ula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $45.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $197, 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Ula wins on cost – living expenses run 1% 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 $1,816 in Ad Dammam and $1,796 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $444 in Al-Ula. 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 $1,197 in Al-Ula – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Ula 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 $1,197 in Al-Ula versus $1,210 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 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.