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: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,194 in Al-Ula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,841 in Al-Ula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,489 in Al-Ula.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Al-Ula 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$6.62 SAR 24.88

12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$44.37 SAR 167

19.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.75 SAR 29.11

2.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.70 SAR 6.40

10.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.77 SAR 6.64

4.52%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.64 SAR 13.67

-2.47%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.80 SAR 3.01

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.29 SAR 1.08

31.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$0.92 SAR 3.47

54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-8.23%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-4.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$7.03 SAR 26.40

-14.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$7.27 SAR 27.29

0.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-21.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.16 SAR 8.13

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-20.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.61 SAR 6.06

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.24 SAR 4.67

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.29 SAR 4.84

6.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.18 SAR 4.44

9.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.54 SAR 2.04

1.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$2.77 SAR 10.41

48.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-8.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.00 SAR 7.51

-0.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$7.07 SAR 26.56

9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-13.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$40.36 SAR 152

-2.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.62 SAR 9.85

26.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.93 SAR 7.23

41.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.27 SAR 49.84

2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.61 SAR 2.27

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$26.4K SAR 98.9K

-15.65%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

-6.82%

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

$118 SAR 444

$107 SAR 400

11.12%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$33.61 SAR 126

14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$71.4 SAR 268

-11.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$86.6 SAR 325

-18.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$36.23 SAR 136

-14.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$15.59 SAR 58.5

-1.86%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$354 SAR 1,330

20.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

19.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$59.8 SAR 224

13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$60.8 SAR 228

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$77.7 SAR 292

16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$82.5 SAR 310

4.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$434 SAR 1,628

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$380 SAR 1,425

-0.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$835 SAR 3,137

-5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$615 SAR 2,308

3.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,257 SAR 8,476

-41.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,522 SAR 5,716

-46.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $434 in Al-Ula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $44.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $195, 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 $1,791 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $434 in Al-Ula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,194 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 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,194 in Al-Ula versus $1,211 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.