Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Dammam

For one person, living costs are similar in Ad Dammam and in Dammam: $1,217 and $1,226 a month, rent and utilities included.

Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Ad Dammam
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,217
/mo nomad
Dammam
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,226
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Dammam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,217 in Ad Dammam versus $1,226 in Dammam.

  • Ad Dammam $1,217
  • Dammam $1,226

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,838 in Ad Dammam versus $1,857 in Dammam.

  • Ad Dammam $1,838
  • Dammam $1,857

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,460 in Ad Dammam versus $2,488 in Dammam.

  • Ad Dammam $2,460
  • Dammam $2,488

Monthly costs are close between Ad Dammam and Dammam; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 11% lower, Dammam 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.12 SAR 26.74
$6.49 SAR 24.35
9.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.16 SAR 128
$39.23 SAR 147
-12.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.82 SAR 25.59
$7.78 SAR 29.21
-12.34%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 SAR 7.17
$1.83 SAR 6.87
4.37%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SAR 8.45
$1.78 SAR 6.68
26.40%
Cappuccino
$3.02 SAR 11.32
$3.71 SAR 13.94
-18.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 SAR 2.94
$0.81 SAR 3.02
-3.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 SAR 0.63
$0.28 SAR 1.04
-39.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 SAR 6.51
$1.72 SAR 6.45
0.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 SAR 4.85
$1.04 SAR 3.91
24.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 SAR 7.29
$2.32 SAR 8.71
-16.38%
Eggs
$2.18 SAR 8.20
$2.54 SAR 9.52
-14.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.60 SAR 28.52
$6.79 SAR 25.48
11.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.83 SAR 29.37
$7.34 SAR 27.55
6.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.77 SAR 47.91
$12.93 SAR 48.52
-1.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 SAR 8.33
$2.36 SAR 8.85
-5.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 SAR 6.42
$1.60 SAR 6.01
6.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.64 SAR 6.15
$1.62 SAR 6.10
1.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.58 SAR 5.94
$1.63 SAR 6.11
-3.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 SAR 4.21
$1.25 SAR 4.67
-10.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 SAR 4.35
$1.32 SAR 4.94
-12.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 SAR 4.98
$1.35 SAR 5.07
-1.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 SAR 2.31
$0.59 SAR 2.22
5.08%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$4.06 SAR 15.23
$2.84 SAR 10.65
42.96%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 SAR 5.66
$1.73 SAR 6.51
-12.72%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 SAR 7.96
$2.03 SAR 7.62
4.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.58 SAR 28.46
$7.26 SAR 27.23
4.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.91 SAR 3.41
$1.04 SAR 3.90
-12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.54 SAR 145
$40.52 SAR 152
-4.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 SAR 10.27
$2.62 SAR 9.83
4.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.74 SAR 10.28
$1.89 SAR 7.10
44.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.10 SAR 49.15
$13.55 SAR 50.8
-3.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.64 SAR 2.40
$0.65 SAR 2.42
-1.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K SAR 109.1K
$27.1K SAR 101.8K
7.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K SAR 80.5K
$23.4K SAR 87.7K
-8.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 SAR 493
$105 SAR 395
24.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.48 SAR 122
$33.70 SAR 126
-3.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.9 SAR 236
$72.2 SAR 271
-12.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.9 SAR 273
$94.5 SAR 354
-22.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.56 SAR 107
$36.96 SAR 139
-22.73%
Cinema Ticket
$13.54 SAR 50.8
$14.61 SAR 54.8
-7.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$416 SAR 1,559
$346 SAR 1,299
20.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,051 SAR 30.2K
$7,665 SAR 28.8K
5.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.09 SAR 158
$56.1 SAR 210
-24.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5 SAR 189
$62.8 SAR 236
-19.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 SAR 361
$84.0 SAR 315
14.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.6 SAR 347
$81.3 SAR 305
13.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$535 SAR 2,008
$440 SAR 1,652
21.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$387 SAR 1,450
$384 SAR 1,441
0.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$970 SAR 3,640
$889 SAR 3,337
9.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 SAR 2,512
$627 SAR 2,352
6.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$962 SAR 3,610
$1,788 SAR 6,708
-46.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$707 SAR 2,653
$1,073 SAR 4,025
-34.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ad Dammam
Dammam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,475 SAR 5,536
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
4.42
33.48%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: October 24, 2026

Last update for Dammam: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ad Dammam
$386
Dammam
$384 0.6% $2.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ad Dammam
$227
Dammam
$211 6.8% $15
Groceries & Markets
Ad Dammam
$201
Dammam
$198 1.7% $3.4
Clothing & Footwear
Ad Dammam
$127
Dammam
$128 1.1% $1.3
Eating Out
Ad Dammam
$117
Dammam
$124 5.7% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Ad Dammam
$100
Dammam
$124 23.7% $24
Getting Around
Ad Dammam
$59
Dammam
$57 3.2% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Ad Dammam and $440 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34 in Ad Dammam vs $39 in Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $201 vs $198, with Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Ad Dammam
🇸🇦 Dammam
🕒 Local time
00:54 12:54 AM
00:54 12:54 AM
Same time as Ad Dammam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
903,312
903,312
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ad Dammam Dammam 2 km
From you
  • Ad Dammam
  • Dammam

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 Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ad Dammam and in Dammam?
You’d need roughly $1,825 in Ad Dammam and $1,839 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 compared to Dammam?
Rent for a central apartment: $535 in Ad Dammam versus $440 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Ad Dammam compared to Dammam?
A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 5% less than in Dammam. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do dining costs compare in Ad Dammam and in Dammam?
Dining out is cheaper in Ad Dammam – a meal for two runs $34 versus $39 in Dammam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ad Dammam or in Dammam?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Ad Dammam or Dammam?
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.
How safe is Ad Dammam compared to Dammam?
Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Dammam are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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