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: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,468 in Medina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,836 in Medina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $2,204 in Medina.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 16% less than in Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 8% below, Medina is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$5.70 SAR 21.39

28.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$31.98 SAR 120

68.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$7.78 SAR 29.16

4.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.65 SAR 6.18

12.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.74 SAR 6.54

5.75%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$2.44 SAR 9.14

50.41%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.82 SAR 3.06

2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.39 SAR 1.46

-5.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.63 SAR 6.12

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.98 SAR 3.66

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-12.08%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.11 SAR 7.93

8.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$6.49 SAR 24.36

-3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$6.90 SAR 25.88

7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$12.77 SAR 47.89

-20.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$2.35 SAR 8.80

-5.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$2.17 SAR 8.15

-33.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-1.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.38 SAR 5.18

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.51 SAR 5.65

-11.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.02 SAR 3.83

27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.83 SAR 3.10

-28.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$1.35 SAR 5.05

214.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-8.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$1.56 SAR 5.86

29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$7.44 SAR 27.89

8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.09 SAR 4.07

-18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$37.59 SAR 141

5.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$1.35 SAR 5.05

145.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$1.64 SAR 6.14

66.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$5.63 SAR 21.12

133.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-1.54%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

6.38%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

-0.68%

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

$117 SAR 438

$201 SAR 754

-41.90%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$33.28 SAR 125

15.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$103 SAR 386

-38.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$77.5 SAR 290

-10.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$8.66 SAR 32.47

253.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$13.29 SAR 49.83

13.02%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$291 SAR 1,092

45.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

13.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$37.64 SAR 141

77.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$52.7 SAR 198

25.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$66.1 SAR 248

40.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$97.1 SAR 364

-10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$421 SAR 1,578

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$554 SAR 2,076

-31.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$723 SAR 2,712

10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$417 SAR 1,563

53.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

$2,312 SAR 8,669

-61.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

$1,328 SAR 4,981

-41.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$1,349 SAR 5,058

46.35%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medina: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $421 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 46% 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 $189 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 19% 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 46% 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $421 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,468 in Medina – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 5% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,468 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 19% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.