Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 48% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 9% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$17.66 €15.43

-57.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$69.7 €60.9

-23.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$14.16 €12.37

-44.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$2.80 €2.45

26.79%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$2.81 €2.46

-67.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$2.06 €1.80

-81.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.23 €1.07

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$2.03 €1.78

-30.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$1.98 €1.73

7.07%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$3.49 €3.05

-33.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$18.33 €16.01

-67.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$9.83 €8.59

-25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.81

$19.13 €16.71

-47.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.73 €2.38

-23.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.38 €2.08

-34.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$2.08 €1.82

-33.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$2.75 €2.41

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.96 €1.71

-34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.79 €1.57

-23.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.48 €1.29

-12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.91 €0.80

-39.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$7.13 €6.23

8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$3.01 €2.63

-68.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$29.35 €25.65

33.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$4.36 €3.81

-24.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$2.13 €1.86

28.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$29.60 €25.86

-54.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.82 €1.59

-66.48%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$37.9K €33.1K

-41.34%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$32.4K €28.3K

-35.59%

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

$118 SAR 444

$189 €165

-37.39%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$22.29 €19.48

73.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$37.16 €32.47

70.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$58.0 €50.7

21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$20.66 €18.05

49.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$10.87 €9.50

40.75%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$706 €617

-39.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

$14.9K €13.0K

-44.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$89.4 €78.2

-23.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$36.60 €31.98

85.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$104 €90.9

-12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$119 €104

-27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$1,579 €1,379

-71.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$1,238 €1,082

-69.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,976

$2,712 €2,370

-70.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,388

$2,039 €1,782

-68.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$7,527 €6,576

-82.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$5,239 €4,577

-84.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,640

$2,364 €2,065

-36.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

3.39

27.73%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 57% 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: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $320 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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 92% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Barcelona. 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $1,579 in Barcelona. 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 $2,320 in Barcelona – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 34% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,211 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Barcelona 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.