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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,202 in Jeddah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,858 in Jeddah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,514 in Jeddah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than Jeddah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.54 SAR 24.53

11.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$40.72 SAR 153

31.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-2.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$2.19 SAR 8.23

-16.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.58 SAR 13.45

3.35%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.70 SAR 2.64

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.25 SAR 0.94

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.96 SAR 3.58

51.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.30 SAR 8.61

-9.13%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.75 SAR 10.34

-18.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-18.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$7.64 SAR 28.69

-6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$12.34 SAR 46.33

-22.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.16 SAR 8.13

-2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-10.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.54 SAR 5.78

7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.21 SAR 4.54

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.05 SAR 3.96

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.60 SAR 2.23

-8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$4.08 SAR 15.31

2.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-17.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-20.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.76 SAR 25.37

17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-34.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$39.64 SAR 149

1.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$3.23 SAR 12.13

1.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.88 SAR 7.07

40.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.86

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-13.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-14.31%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

-0.76%

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

$117 SAR 438

$105 SAR 393

11.30%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$32.31 SAR 121

18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$70.1 SAR 263

-9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$90.9 SAR 341

-21.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 115

$45.17 SAR 170

-32.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$13.12 SAR 49.26

18.45%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$400 SAR 1,500

3.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

27.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$64.6 SAR 242

3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$58.1 SAR 218

17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$92.5 SAR 347

-1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$84.4 SAR 317

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$501 SAR 1,881

-10.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$390 SAR 1,464

-3.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$899 SAR 3,375

-11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$618 SAR 2,321

3.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,915

$1,625 SAR 6,100

-19.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,014 SAR 3,805

-20.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,111

$1,657 SAR 6,219

14.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.5

-3.78%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $501 in Jeddah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 14% 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: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $41.00 in Jeddah. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $196, 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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jeddah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ad Dammam pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $501 in Jeddah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,202 in Jeddah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jeddah runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,202 in Jeddah versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jeddah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Jeddah 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 Jeddah 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 Jeddah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.