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: $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,469 in Medina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,860 in Ad Dammam versus $1,858 in Medina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Ad Dammam versus $2,248 in Medina.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 19% less than in Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 10% below, Medina is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 SAR 27.37

$5.58 SAR 20.95

30.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 SAR 202

$32.14 SAR 121

67.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.16

$8.22 SAR 30.86

-2.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.57 SAR 5.89

15.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.78 SAR 6.69

6.74%

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 14.00

$2.48 SAR 9.32

50.40%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.77 SAR 2.88

19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.39 SAR 1.45

-10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.61 SAR 6.04

1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$0.93 SAR 3.49

56.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.39 SAR 8.99

-12.55%

Eggs

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.07 SAR 7.77

9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 SAR 22.97

$6.75 SAR 25.33

-9.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.23

$6.99 SAR 26.23

3.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 SAR 36.42

$12.76 SAR 47.92

-23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.47 SAR 9.28

-14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$2.16 SAR 8.13

-31.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$2.15 SAR 8.07

-34.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-10.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.44 SAR 5.40

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.03 SAR 3.86

32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.87 SAR 3.26

-32.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

$1.35 SAR 5.06

205.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-10.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.63 SAR 6.13

17.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$7.44 SAR 27.94

4.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.54 SAR 148

$37.40 SAR 140

5.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$1.37 SAR 5.14

146.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$1.69 SAR 6.36

55.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$5.46 SAR 20.50

147.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.60 SAR 2.27

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

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

$20.9K SAR 78.5K

9.98%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

-2.62%

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

$115 SAR 432

$201 SAR 755

-42.80%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$32.18 SAR 121

19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 239

$103 SAR 386

-38.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 SAR 265

$75.0 SAR 282

-5.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.26 SAR 117

$8.99 SAR 33.77

247.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 SAR 56.6

$13.35 SAR 50.1

12.81%

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

$415 SAR 1,558

$291 SAR 1,092

42.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

$7,343 SAR 27.6K

11.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 SAR 258

$36.82 SAR 138

86.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 SAR 250

$52.8 SAR 198

26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 348

$67.6 SAR 254

36.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 SAR 322

$97.4 SAR 366

-12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,677

$424 SAR 1,591

5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 SAR 1,421

$569 SAR 2,138

-33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 SAR 3,021

$710 SAR 2,668

13.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,350

$419 SAR 1,575

49.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,353 SAR 5,082

$2,306 SAR 8,661

-41.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 SAR 3,063

$1,364 SAR 5,123

-40.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 SAR 5,669

$1,338 SAR 5,023

12.85%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medina: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $424 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $32.00 in Medina. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $201, 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 23% 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.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Ad Dammam, 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 $424 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,196 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,469 in Medina – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 6% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,469 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 23% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.