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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Ad Dammam versus $1,489 in Medina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Ad Dammam versus $1,858 in Medina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Ad Dammam versus $2,227 in Medina.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 18% less than in Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 8% below, Medina is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 SAR 27.71

$5.72 SAR 21.46

29.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$31.54 SAR 118

68.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$7.96 SAR 29.88

1.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.57 SAR 5.89

16.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.70 SAR 6.36

7.06%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.27

$2.48 SAR 9.32

42.74%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.24

$0.81 SAR 3.04

6.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.38 SAR 1.44

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.94 SAR 3.53

54.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$2.29 SAR 8.61

-7.86%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.14 SAR 8.03

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 SAR 23.76

$6.70 SAR 25.15

-5.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$7.08 SAR 26.57

5.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 SAR 38.21

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$2.33 SAR 8.74

-5.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.11 SAR 7.91

-29.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$2.14 SAR 8.04

-31.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-10.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.03 SAR 3.85

31.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.81 SAR 3.04

-33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.29

$1.29 SAR 4.85

216.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-5.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$1.57 SAR 5.90

27.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 SAR 30.79

$7.58 SAR 28.45

8.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.01 SAR 150

$37.14 SAR 139

7.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$1.36 SAR 5.10

141.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$1.64 SAR 6.16

59.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$5.46 SAR 20.50

146.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$22.8K SAR 85.6K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

8.10%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.5K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

-2.31%

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

$118 SAR 441

$207 SAR 775

-43.08%

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

$38.53 SAR 145

$32.61 SAR 122

18.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 SAR 237

$105 SAR 393

-39.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 SAR 266

$76.8 SAR 288

-7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.70 SAR 119

$8.75 SAR 32.83

262.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.55 SAR 58.4

$13.37 SAR 50.2

16.31%

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

$414 SAR 1,554

$293 SAR 1,101

41.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,136 SAR 30.5K

$7,548 SAR 28.3K

7.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 SAR 259

$37.97 SAR 142

82.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$54.0 SAR 203

22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 SAR 344

$66.1 SAR 248

38.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 SAR 316

$97.3 SAR 365

-13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,679

$433 SAR 1,625

3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,393

$558 SAR 2,095

-33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 SAR 2,924

$708 SAR 2,658

10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,348

$405 SAR 1,520

54.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,913

$2,295 SAR 8,611

-42.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 SAR 2,993

$1,338 SAR 5,019

-40.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 SAR 7,062

$1,323 SAR 4,966

42.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

44.33%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $433 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $32.00 in Medina. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Medina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ad Dammam pays 42% 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 $433 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,489 in Medina – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 8% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Ad Dammam versus $1,489 in Medina, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Medina. 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 Medina 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 21% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.