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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,169 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,770 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,372 in Ar-rass.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 4% more expensive than Ar-rass, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Ar-rass 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.55 SAR 24.58

11.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$44.10 SAR 166

21.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.87 SAR 29.52

1.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.70 SAR 6.38

7.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.62 SAR 13.57

2.21%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.76 SAR 2.84

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.29 SAR 1.08

20.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-28.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.01 SAR 3.79

43.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$1.55 SAR 5.82

34.84%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$3.61 SAR 13.56

-37.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$6.77 SAR 25.40

-10.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$7.45 SAR 27.96

-4.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$13.04 SAR 48.93

-26.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-21.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.56 SAR 5.87

6.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.28 SAR 4.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.31 SAR 4.92

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.19 SAR 4.46

13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.80 SAR 10.51

49.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.74 SAR 6.53

-8.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.29 SAR 23.61

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$39.20 SAR 147

2.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.61 SAR 9.78

26.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.92 SAR 7.22

38.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.48 SAR 50.6

-1.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.59 SAR 2.21

8.47%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

-14.65%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

-5.90%

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

$117 SAR 438

$104 SAR 390

12.15%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$33.90 SAR 127

13.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$72.7 SAR 273

-12.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$43.87 SAR 165

61.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$35.18 SAR 132

-13.27%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$15.52 SAR 58.3

0.13%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$349 SAR 1,310

19.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$6,909 SAR 25.9K

18.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$21.12 SAR 79.3

216.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$61.3 SAR 230

11.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$79.5 SAR 298

14.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$82.4 SAR 309

3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$445 SAR 1,669

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$382 SAR 1,434

-1.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$388 SAR 1,455

106.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$614 SAR 2,303

4.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,559 SAR 9,604

-48.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,508 SAR 5,658

-46.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$1,728 SAR 6,485

9.64%

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 Ar-rass: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $445 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $44.00 in Ar-rass. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $205, 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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rass wins on cost – living expenses run 4% 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.

Ad Dammam pays 10% 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 $445 in Ar-rass. 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 $1,169 in Ar-rass – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ar-rass runs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,169 in Ar-rass versus $1,210 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 4% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.