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: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,218 in Jeddah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,846 in Jeddah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,474 in Jeddah.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 1% less than in Jeddah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$6.51 SAR 24.46

14.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$39.65 SAR 149

33.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.80 SAR 29.29

1.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-12.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-11.90%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-6.08%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.70 SAR 2.64

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.25 SAR 0.94

52.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$0.94 SAR 3.53

51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-4.93%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.63 SAR 9.88

-12.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-19.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$7.77 SAR 29.19

-5.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$12.38 SAR 46.50

-18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.18 SAR 8.19

-4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.54 SAR 5.80

-9.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.58 SAR 5.94

4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.25 SAR 4.68

9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.10 SAR 4.15

17.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.55 SAR 2.07

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$4.21 SAR 15.79

-2.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-14.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-20.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$6.79 SAR 25.51

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-27.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$39.89 SAR 150

-1.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$3.17 SAR 11.89

4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.85 SAR 6.94

47.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-9.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.24

1.67%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-15.89%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

-2.12%

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

$118 SAR 444

$108 SAR 406

9.49%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$32.30 SAR 121

19.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$69.6 SAR 261

-8.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$91.1 SAR 342

-22.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$45.14 SAR 170

-31.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$13.21 SAR 49.62

15.82%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$407 SAR 1,527

4.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

28.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$62.7 SAR 235

8.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$57.9 SAR 217

17.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$94.9 SAR 356

-4.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$83.8 SAR 315

2.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$507 SAR 1,903

-10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$384 SAR 1,442

-2.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$904 SAR 3,395

-12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$601 SAR 2,256

5.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$1,646 SAR 6,179

-19.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,015 SAR 3,812

-19.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

$1,660 SAR 6,233

-9.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $507 in Jeddah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jeddah pays 11% 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 Jeddah. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Jeddah. 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 11% lower in Jeddah. 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 $507 in Jeddah. 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 $1,218 in Jeddah – 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 2% less than in Jeddah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,218 in Jeddah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Jeddah. 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 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.