Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,103 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in Ad Dammam versus $1,669 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,450 in Ad Dammam versus $2,235 in Ar-rass.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 9% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 12% lower, Ar-rass 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 SAR 29.66

$6.70 SAR 25.15

17.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 SAR 132

$37.74 SAR 142

-6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 SAR 25.48

$7.77 SAR 29.17

-12.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

$1.84 SAR 6.90

4.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.01 SAR 7.55

10.45%

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$3.36 SAR 12.63

-11.31%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.90

$0.81 SAR 3.04

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.77

$0.24 SAR 0.90

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.82 SAR 6.85

-1.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$0.41 SAR 1.55

209.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-1.58%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$3.68 SAR 13.82

-40.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.26

$7.03 SAR 26.40

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SAR 29.06

$8.16 SAR 30.65

-5.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.63

$13.12 SAR 49.27

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.09 SAR 7.83

4.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.56 SAR 5.86

1.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.61 SAR 6.05

-3.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$1.15 SAR 4.32

-3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.15 SAR 4.32

10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.56 SAR 2.10

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.77

$2.79 SAR 10.47

50.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-16.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

$1.81 SAR 6.82

22.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.45

$7.90 SAR 29.67

-4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$1.22 SAR 4.57

-19.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.71 SAR 134

$35.86 SAR 135

-0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$2.96 SAR 11.11

-7.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$1.54 SAR 5.78

70.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$11.37 SAR 42.69

19.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-6.25%

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

$66.7K SAR 250.4K

$47.0K SAR 176.6K

41.79%

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

$21.0K SAR 79.0K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

-1.04%

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

$127 SAR 478

$88.2 SAR 331

44.16%

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

$32.69 SAR 123

$24.45 SAR 91.8

33.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$60.2 SAR 226

6.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 SAR 292

$44.03 SAR 165

76.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.77 SAR 108

$40.53 SAR 152

-29.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.08 SAR 49.14

3.82%

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

$419 SAR 1,574

$349 SAR 1,310

20.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,803 SAR 29.3K

$7,401 SAR 27.8K

5.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.01 SAR 158

$50.6 SAR 190

-16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 SAR 186

$58.2 SAR 219

-14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$95.0 SAR 357

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 SAR 344

$95.5 SAR 359

-4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 SAR 2,193

$580 SAR 2,177

0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,385

$339 SAR 1,273

8.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SAR 3,701

$382 SAR 1,433

158.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 SAR 2,529

$591 SAR 2,220

13.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,416 SAR 5,319

$2,677 SAR 10.1K

-47.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$600 SAR 2,253

$1,276 SAR 4,793

-52.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,520 SAR 5,709

$1,706 SAR 6,407

-10.91%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ad Dammam and $580 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $38.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $199 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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rass wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ar-rass the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Ar-rass. 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 $580 in Ar-rass. 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 $1,103 in Ar-rass – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ar-rass runs roughly 0% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,103 in Ar-rass versus $1,205 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.