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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,198 in Buraydah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,959 in Buraydah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $2,720 in Buraydah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 3% more expensive than Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Buraydah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$12.74 SAR 47.77

-42.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$39.99 SAR 150

34.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$7.20 SAR 27.00

12.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.63 SAR 6.13

14.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.50 SAR 5.62

22.67%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$3.52 SAR 13.20

4.26%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.75 SAR 2.80

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.26 SAR 0.97

42.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.64 SAR 6.16

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.06 SAR 3.96

38.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-14.23%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.60 SAR 9.74

-11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$8.37 SAR 31.39

-24.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$6.85 SAR 25.67

8.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$13.81 SAR 51.8

-26.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$2.57 SAR 9.63

-14.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.80 SAR 6.73

-17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.40 SAR 5.23

3.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-12.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.55 SAR 5.81

-14.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.12 SAR 4.20

16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.69 SAR 2.59

-14.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$1.86 SAR 6.97

127.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.49 SAR 5.58

5.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$2.61 SAR 9.77

-22.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$6.53 SAR 24.49

23.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$40.29 SAR 151

-1.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.64 SAR 9.88

25.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$1.88 SAR 7.05

45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$16.40 SAR 61.5

-19.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.60 SAR 2.26

6.67%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$26.7K SAR 100.0K

-14.68%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-13.62%

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

$117 SAR 438

$76.6 SAR 287

52.67%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$30.20 SAR 113

27.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$69.6 SAR 261

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$100 SAR 376

-30.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$36.17 SAR 136

-15.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$16.06 SAR 60.2

-6.48%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$267 SAR 1,002

59.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$3,766 SAR 14.1K

121.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$52.5 SAR 197

27.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$73.3 SAR 275

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$80.3 SAR 301

15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$70.7 SAR 265

23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$635 SAR 2,383

-29.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$334 SAR 1,253

12.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$757 SAR 2,839

5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$790 SAR 2,961

-19.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

$2,379 SAR 8,921

-62.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

$1,334 SAR 5,002

-41.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$2,846 SAR 10.7K

-30.63%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $635 in Buraydah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $40.00 in Buraydah. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 vs $206, 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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buraydah wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buraydah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Buraydah earns 44% less. 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $635 in Buraydah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,198 in Buraydah – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buraydah 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 $1,198 in Buraydah versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Buraydah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Buraydah 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 Buraydah 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 Buraydah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.