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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,059 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Ad Dammam versus $1,673 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Ad Dammam versus $2,288 in Qatif.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 14% more expensive than Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Qatif 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 SAR 28.11

$3.41 SAR 12.81

119.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$47.01 SAR 176

15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.87 SAR 29.55

-1.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.86 SAR 6.96

2.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-3.70%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SAR 13.51

$3.55 SAR 13.31

1.41%

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

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.82 SAR 3.07

8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.31

$0.26 SAR 0.98

34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$0.81 SAR 3.02

79.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.01 SAR 7.53

-0.50%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.33 SAR 8.73

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.56

$6.30 SAR 23.62

-4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$7.15 SAR 26.82

0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 SAR 37.41

$10.02 SAR 37.61

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.09 SAR 7.83

3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.47 SAR 5.51

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.40 SAR 5.27

0.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$0.70 SAR 2.64

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.59

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.38 SAR 5.16

0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.15 SAR 4.30

18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.51 SAR 1.90

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$2.65 SAR 9.93

58.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.55 SAR 5.80

4.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$1.93 SAR 7.24

3.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$7.82 SAR 29.33

0.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-12.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.76 SAR 153

$39.34 SAR 148

3.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 SAR 12.60

$3.26 SAR 12.24

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.61 SAR 6.06

68.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$13.20 SAR 49.52

2.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.60 SAR 2.26

1.67%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

2.78%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

4.69%

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

$117 SAR 440

$105 SAR 396

11.13%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$36.22 SAR 136

7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 SAR 234

$61.0 SAR 229

2.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 SAR 259

$95.3 SAR 358

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$57.3 SAR 215

-46.17%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$15.49 SAR 58.1

-2.84%

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

$414 SAR 1,552

$393 SAR 1,476

5.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

-2.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$52.8 SAR 198

30.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$51.1 SAR 192

32.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 SAR 340

$91.3 SAR 343

-0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$86.2 SAR 323

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$361 SAR 1,355

23.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 SAR 1,446

$290 SAR 1,088

32.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$695 SAR 2,606

15.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,382

$483 SAR 1,811

31.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 SAR 4,995

$963 SAR 3,612

38.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 SAR 3,019

$780 SAR 2,927

3.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

$2,308 SAR 8,661

-18.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $361 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 22% 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 $47.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $173 per month, with Qatif cheaper across the board.

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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qatif wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Qatif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Qatif earns 22% less. 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $361 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,059 in Qatif – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 4% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,059 in Qatif versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif 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 Qatif 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 Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.