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: $1,223 in Ad Dammam versus $1,233 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,882 in Ad Dammam versus $1,851 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,541 in Ad Dammam versus $2,468 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 8% lower, Dammam 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 SAR 27.24

$6.69 SAR 25.11

8.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 SAR 198

$39.71 SAR 149

32.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.08

$7.93 SAR 29.75

1.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.76 SAR 6.62

5.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.76 SAR 6.60

5.68%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$3.76 SAR 14.12

-2.39%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.81 SAR 3.06

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.28 SAR 1.05

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.62 SAR 6.10

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.01 SAR 3.79

38.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.78

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-8.81%

Eggs

$2.30 SAR 8.63

$2.55 SAR 9.57

-9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 SAR 22.69

$6.93 SAR 26.03

-12.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.48

$7.44 SAR 27.92

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 SAR 37.73

$13.11 SAR 49.21

-23.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.34 SAR 8.80

-5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.64 SAR 6.14

-12.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.57 SAR 5.89

5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.24 SAR 4.64

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-1.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.34 SAR 5.04

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-12.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

$2.88 SAR 10.83

40.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-9.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SAR 29.37

$7.03 SAR 26.40

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-10.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.54 SAR 148

$40.58 SAR 152

-2.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 SAR 12.69

$2.60 SAR 9.75

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 SAR 9.98

$1.86 SAR 6.97

43.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 SAR 49.38

$13.17 SAR 49.44

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.63 SAR 2.37

3.17%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.6K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

-16.89%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.8K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-11.50%

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

$115 SAR 432

$103 SAR 386

11.83%

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

$38.74 SAR 145

$34.12 SAR 128

13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 238

$71.3 SAR 268

-11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 SAR 264

$95.3 SAR 358

-26.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$35.74 SAR 134

-13.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 SAR 56.7

$14.63 SAR 54.9

3.28%

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

$415 SAR 1,557

$347 SAR 1,304

19.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,335 SAR 31.3K

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

11.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 SAR 257

$54.8 SAR 206

24.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 SAR 251

$64.0 SAR 240

4.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 SAR 349

$83.8 SAR 314

10.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 SAR 323

$80.8 SAR 303

6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 SAR 1,654

$445 SAR 1,670

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$380 SAR 1,428

-1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 SAR 2,933

$881 SAR 3,305

-11.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 SAR 2,399

$617 SAR 2,314

3.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,304 SAR 4,896

$1,773 SAR 6,657

-26.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 SAR 3,002

$1,092 SAR 4,100

-26.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,527 SAR 5,733

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Ad Dammam and $445 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $40.00 in Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $199, 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

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.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Ad Dammam and $1,849 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Ad Dammam versus $445 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,233 in Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 3% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Ad Dammam versus $1,233 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

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.

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.