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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,206 in Ad Dammam versus $1,215 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,886 in Ad Dammam versus $1,840 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in Ad Dammam versus $2,465 in Dammam.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 1% less than in Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Dammam 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.36 SAR 27.62
$6.68 SAR 25.04
10.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.1 SAR 203
$39.64 SAR 149
36.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 SAR 29.08
$8.01 SAR 30.05
-3.12%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.92 SAR 7.21
$1.78 SAR 6.68
7.87%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 SAR 6.87
$1.85 SAR 6.93
-1.08%
Cappuccino
$3.57 SAR 13.39
$3.56 SAR 13.36
0.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 SAR 3.39
$0.81 SAR 3.03
11.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 SAR 1.29
$0.30 SAR 1.14
13.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 SAR 6.39
$1.71 SAR 6.40
-0.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 SAR 5.48
$1.00 SAR 3.76
46.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 SAR 7.81
$2.37 SAR 8.89
-12.24%
Eggs
$2.28 SAR 8.53
$2.51 SAR 9.41
-9.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.01 SAR 22.55
$6.73 SAR 25.24
-10.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.43 SAR 27.86
$7.53 SAR 28.26
-1.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.65 SAR 36.19
$12.78 SAR 47.94
-24.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 SAR 7.96
$2.28 SAR 8.54
-7.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 SAR 5.79
$1.66 SAR 6.23
-7.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 SAR 5.44
$1.59 SAR 5.95
-8.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 SAR 5.97
$1.56 SAR 5.84
1.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 SAR 4.80
$1.23 SAR 4.60
4.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 SAR 5.19
$1.32 SAR 4.96
4.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.31 SAR 4.93
$1.30 SAR 4.87
0.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 SAR 2.18
$0.63 SAR 2.35
-7.94%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$4.26 SAR 15.96
$2.90 SAR 10.89
46.90%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 SAR 5.82
$1.79 SAR 6.71
-13.41%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 SAR 7.31
$2.01 SAR 7.52
-2.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.19 SAR 30.71
$7.13 SAR 26.75
14.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 SAR 3.54
$1.10 SAR 4.11
-14.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.77 SAR 149
$39.58 SAR 148
0.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.39 SAR 12.73
$2.73 SAR 10.23
24.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.69 SAR 10.07
$1.92 SAR 7.21
40.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.09 SAR 49.07
$13.42 SAR 50.3
-2.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 SAR 2.44
$0.64 SAR 2.40
1.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K SAR 85.3K
$26.2K SAR 98.2K
-13.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K SAR 79.1K
$23.1K SAR 86.7K
-8.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 SAR 440
$106 SAR 397
10.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.77 SAR 145
$33.23 SAR 125
16.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.6 SAR 238
$70.5 SAR 264
-9.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.4 SAR 264
$96.3 SAR 361
-26.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.59 SAR 115
$36.28 SAR 136
-15.68%
Cinema Ticket
$15.53 SAR 58.2
$14.86 SAR 55.7
4.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$415 SAR 1,556
$346 SAR 1,298
19.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,100 SAR 30.4K
$7,416 SAR 27.8K
9.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.6 SAR 250
$56.4 SAR 212
18.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.1 SAR 252
$63.9 SAR 240
4.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.0 SAR 349
$84.5 SAR 317
9.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.7 SAR 321
$81.8 SAR 307
4.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$443 SAR 1,661
$428 SAR 1,606
3.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 SAR 1,427
$382 SAR 1,434
-0.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$789 SAR 2,959
$877 SAR 3,288
-10.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$636 SAR 2,385
$633 SAR 2,374
0.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$899 SAR 3,370
$1,776 SAR 6,661
-49.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$758 SAR 2,843
$1,107 SAR 4,150
-31.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,009 SAR 7,532
-
-
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 19, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Ad Dammam and $428 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Ad Dammam vs $40 in Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $197, 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 Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ad Dammam or Dammam?
Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ad Dammam vs Dammam?
You'd need roughly $1,810 in Ad Dammam and $1,823 in Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ad Dammam vs Dammam?
Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Ad Dammam versus $428 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Ad Dammam compared to Dammam?
All in, you'll spend $1,206 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,215 in Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Ad Dammam vs Dammam?
A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 0% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ad Dammam or Dammam?
At $1,206 in Ad Dammam versus $1,215 in Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ad Dammam or Dammam?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,206 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.
How safe is Ad Dammam compared to Dammam?
Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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