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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,302 in Dhahran.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,999 in Dhahran.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,697 in Dhahran.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 7% less than in Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Dhahran 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$5.30 SAR 19.91

40.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$40.06 SAR 150

32.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.35 SAR 27.58

7.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$2.01 SAR 7.56

-6.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.59 SAR 5.96

16.35%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.67 SAR 13.79

-3.27%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.70 SAR 2.62

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.20 SAR 0.73

90.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.51 SAR 5.68

8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.18 SAR 4.43

20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-1.85%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$6.55 SAR 24.61

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$8.74 SAR 32.82

-16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$13.55 SAR 50.9

-25.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.17 SAR 8.15

-3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.42 SAR 5.34

9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-12.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.30 SAR 4.88

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.19 SAR 4.47

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$0.98 SAR 3.66

39.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.07 SAR 4.01

20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-3.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$4.76 SAR 17.88

-13.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.00 SAR 7.53

-19.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$1.55 SAR 5.83

28.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$9.21 SAR 34.59

-15.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$40.24 SAR 151

-2.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$1.37 SAR 5.13

141.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$2.36 SAR 8.88

15.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.26 SAR 49.79

2.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-4.69%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

-30.12%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

-14.64%

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

$118 SAR 444

$106 SAR 397

11.99%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$36.75 SAR 138

5.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$72.3 SAR 271

-12.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$184 SAR 689

-61.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$35.54 SAR 133

-13.08%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$12.10 SAR 45.42

26.45%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$403 SAR 1,514

5.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

-15.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$59.7 SAR 224

13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$74.7 SAR 281

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$85.8 SAR 322

5.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$95.9 SAR 360

-10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$439 SAR 1,650

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$381 SAR 1,430

-1.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$840 SAR 3,153

-5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$633 SAR 2,377

0.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$1,109 SAR 4,164

19.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,053 SAR 3,955

-22.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

-47.93%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $439 in Dhahran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhahran pays 92% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $40.00 in Dhahran. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $198, 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Dhahran. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 92% lower in Dhahran. 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $439 in Dhahran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,302 in Dhahran – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 2% less than in Dhahran. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,302 in Dhahran, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Dhahran. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam 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 Dhahran 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 8% less than in Dhahran. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.