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: $1,227 in Ad Dammam versus $1,213 in Buraydah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Ad Dammam versus $1,990 in Buraydah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Ad Dammam versus $2,768 in Buraydah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Buraydah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 SAR 27.71

$12.47 SAR 46.80

-40.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$40.71 SAR 153

30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$7.26 SAR 27.25

11.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.57 SAR 5.89

16.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.49 SAR 5.59

22.15%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.27

$3.63 SAR 13.64

-2.48%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.24

$0.80 SAR 3.01

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.26 SAR 0.97

42.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.09 SAR 4.10

33.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$2.56 SAR 9.60

-17.58%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 SAR 23.76

$8.38 SAR 31.46

-24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$6.65 SAR 24.95

12.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 SAR 38.21

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-24.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$2.55 SAR 9.56

-13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.80 SAR 6.74

-17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.41 SAR 5.28

3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.40 SAR 5.26

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.50 SAR 5.65

-11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.15 SAR 4.33

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.70 SAR 2.61

-22.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.29

$1.89 SAR 7.08

115.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.51 SAR 5.68

7.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$2.57 SAR 9.63

-22.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 SAR 30.79

$6.27 SAR 23.52

30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.01 SAR 150

$39.73 SAR 149

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.61 SAR 9.78

25.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$1.83 SAR 6.86

42.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$16.76 SAR 62.9

-19.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.61 SAR 2.28

4.92%

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

$22.8K SAR 85.6K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-15.72%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.5K

$24.1K SAR 90.4K

-14.23%

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

$118 SAR 441

$77.0 SAR 289

52.60%

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

$38.53 SAR 145

$29.96 SAR 112

28.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 SAR 237

$71.1 SAR 267

-11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 SAR 266

$100 SAR 376

-29.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.70 SAR 119

$35.02 SAR 131

-9.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.55 SAR 58.4

$15.87 SAR 59.6

-2.02%

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

$414 SAR 1,554

$262 SAR 985

57.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,136 SAR 30.5K

$3,701 SAR 13.9K

119.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 SAR 259

$51.6 SAR 193

34.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$72.7 SAR 273

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 SAR 344

$80.1 SAR 301

14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 SAR 316

$70.9 SAR 266

18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,679

$629 SAR 2,361

-28.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,393

$339 SAR 1,270

9.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 SAR 2,924

$754 SAR 2,830

3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,348

$813 SAR 3,052

-23.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,913

$2,342 SAR 8,790

-44.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 SAR 2,993

$1,311 SAR 4,919

-39.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 SAR 7,062

$2,770 SAR 10.4K

-32.07%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $629 in Buraydah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $41.00 in Buraydah. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buraydah wins on cost – living expenses run 1% 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 47% 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $629 in Buraydah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,213 in Buraydah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buraydah runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,213 in Buraydah versus $1,227 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 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.