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: $1,215 in Ad Dammam versus $1,227 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,866 in Ad Dammam versus $1,878 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,516 in Ad Dammam versus $2,530 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 12% lower, Dammam 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 SAR 30.39

$6.59 SAR 24.74

22.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.39 SAR 129

$39.22 SAR 147

-12.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.57 SAR 24.69

$7.95 SAR 29.87

-17.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.82 SAR 6.82

4.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.79 SAR 6.71

24.58%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SAR 11.65

$3.56 SAR 13.36

-12.92%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.95

$0.80 SAR 3.00

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.28 SAR 1.04

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.64 SAR 6.16

10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$1.05 SAR 3.95

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-17.95%

Eggs

$2.13 SAR 7.98

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 SAR 27.77

$6.75 SAR 25.33

9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 SAR 29.36

$7.30 SAR 27.41

7.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 SAR 47.79

$13.01 SAR 48.85

-2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.58 SAR 5.92

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-13.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.52

$1.39 SAR 5.21

-13.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.09 SAR 15.37

$2.94 SAR 11.04

39.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-17.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.01 SAR 7.53

7.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.80 SAR 29.30

$7.39 SAR 27.75

5.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-10.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 SAR 135

$40.25 SAR 151

-10.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$2.68 SAR 10.08

-2.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.92 SAR 7.21

35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.4

$13.44 SAR 50.5

-0.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.59 SAR 2.23

8.47%

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

$67.7K SAR 254.2K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

159.05%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

-9.52%

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

$128 SAR 482

$106 SAR 397

21.22%

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

$33.46 SAR 126

$33.13 SAR 124

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 SAR 233

$70.4 SAR 264

-11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 SAR 292

$95.6 SAR 359

-18.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.85 SAR 108

$36.61 SAR 138

-21.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.40 SAR 50.3

$14.31 SAR 53.8

-6.36%

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

$417 SAR 1,566

$349 SAR 1,310

19.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,868 SAR 29.5K

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

4.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.40 SAR 155

$56.2 SAR 211

-26.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.15 SAR 185

$64.5 SAR 242

-23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SAR 360

$85.1 SAR 319

12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 SAR 340

$82.0 SAR 308

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 SAR 2,128

$438 SAR 1,646

29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,388

$384 SAR 1,441

-3.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 SAR 3,781

$884 SAR 3,321

13.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SAR 2,490

$633 SAR 2,379

4.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$1,731 SAR 6,502

-20.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$595 SAR 2,235

$1,102 SAR 4,139

-46.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,532 SAR 5,754

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $567 in Ad Dammam and $438 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Ad Dammam vs $39.00 in Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $197, with 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 $1,823 in Ad Dammam and $1,840 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: $567 in Ad Dammam versus $438 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,227 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 12% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Ad Dammam versus $1,227 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 $1,215 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.