Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Ad Dammam: $1,217 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Ad Dammam
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Ad Dammam Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Barcelona
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Barcelona Living Index

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Ad Dammam

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,217

/mo nomad

Barcelona

🇪🇸 Spain

$2,453

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ad Dammam and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ad Dammam and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,217 in Ad Dammam versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

Ad Dammam $1,217
Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,838 in Ad Dammam versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

Ad Dammam $1,838
Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,460 in Ad Dammam versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

Ad Dammam $2,460
Barcelona $4,564

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 50% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 11% below, Barcelona is 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 SAR 26.74

$17.59 €15.80

-59.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.16 SAR 128

$67.5 €60.6

-49.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 SAR 25.59

$13.53 €12.15

-49.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

Cappuccino

$3.02 SAR 11.32

$3.19 €2.87

-5.33%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.94

$2.91 €2.62

-73.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$1.89 €1.70

-91.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 €3.60

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €4.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.31 €1.17

32.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$2.02 €1.81

-36.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 SAR 7.29

$1.85 €1.66

4.86%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$4.83 €4.34

-54.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 SAR 28.52

$16.74 €15.03

-54.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 SAR 29.37

$9.12 €8.19

-14.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 SAR 47.91

$19.64 €17.64

-34.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.98 €2.68

-25.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.02 €1.81

-15.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$2.70 €2.43

-39.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.80 €2.52

-43.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.21

$2.09 €1.87

-46.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.35

$2.07 €1.86

-43.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.46 €1.31

-8.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.31

$0.94 €0.84

-34.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.06 SAR 15.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.46

$6.87 €6.17

10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 €7.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 €2.28

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$3.14 €2.82

-71.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.54 SAR 145

$25.45 €22.86

51.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.27

$2.99 €2.69

-8.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$1.49 €1.34

83.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.15

$33.37 €29.98

-60.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.80 €1.61

-64.44%

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

$29.1K SAR 109.1K

$33.2K €29.8K

-12.41%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.5K

$31.7K €28.5K

-32.31%

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

$131 SAR 493

$180 €162

-27.23%

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

$32.48 SAR 122

$13.84 €12.43

134.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 SAR 236

$33.70 €30.27

86.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 SAR 273

$51.5 €46.27

41.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.56 SAR 107

$15.96 €14.34

78.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$10.99 €9.88

23.20%

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

$416 SAR 1,559

$917 €823

-54.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,051 SAR 30.2K

$16.5K €14.8K

-51.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 SAR 158

$87.0 €78.2

-51.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 SAR 189

$38.51 €34.59

31.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 SAR 361

$106 €95.1

-9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 SAR 347

$120 €108

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 SAR 2,008

$1,699 €1,527

-68.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 SAR 1,450

$1,355 €1,217

-71.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 SAR 3,640

$2,603 €2,338

-62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 SAR 2,512

$2,062 €1,853

-67.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$962 SAR 3,610

$6,915 €6,211

-86.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 SAR 2,653

$5,128 €4,606

-86.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,475 SAR 5,536

$2,211 €1,986

-33.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

3.28

79.88%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: October 24, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ad Dammam

$386 31.8%

Barcelona

$1.4K 55.3% 251% $969

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ad Dammam

$227 18.6%

Barcelona

$228 9.3% 0.6% $1.3

Groceries & Markets

Ad Dammam

$201 16.5%

Barcelona

$322 13.1% 59.9% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Ad Dammam

$127 10.4%

Barcelona

$158 6.4% 24.8% $31

Eating Out

Ad Dammam

$117 9.7%

Barcelona

$268 10.9% 128% $150

Sport & Entertainment

Ad Dammam

$100 8.2%

Barcelona

$74 3% 26.5% $26

Getting Around

Ad Dammam

$59 4.8%

Barcelona

$48 2% 17.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Ad Dammam and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 50% 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: $34 in Ad Dammam vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $322 per month, with Ad Dammam cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Ad Dammam

🇪🇸 Barcelona

🕒 Local time

22:02 10:02 PM

20:02 8:02 PM

2 h behind Ad Dammam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

903,312

1,660,122

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ad Dammam Barcelona 4,660 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ad Dammam
Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 50% 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 33% lower in Ad Dammam. 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: $535 in Ad Dammam versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,217 per month in Ad Dammam versus $2,453 in Barcelona – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ad Dammam is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 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.

It comes down to priorities – Ad Dammam wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.