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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,206 in Ad Dammam versus $1,153 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,886 in Ad Dammam versus $1,677 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in Ad Dammam versus $2,202 in Rabigh.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 5% more expensive than Rabigh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Rabigh 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 SAR 27.62

$3.95 SAR 14.81

86.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$21.47 SAR 80.5

151.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 SAR 29.08

$7.30 SAR 27.38

6.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.37 SAR 5.12

40.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$0.76 SAR 2.86

140.79%

Cappuccino

$3.57 SAR 13.39

$2.47 SAR 9.25

44.53%

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

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$0.70 SAR 2.61

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.29

$0.12 SAR 0.46

183.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.35 SAR 5.07

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$0.26 SAR 0.97

461.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-9.96%

Eggs

$2.28 SAR 8.53

$2.22 SAR 8.31

2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.55

$5.26 SAR 19.74

14.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.86

$4.77 SAR 17.88

55.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 SAR 36.19

$12.66 SAR 47.47

-23.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.09 SAR 7.83

1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.61 SAR 6.04

-9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.35 SAR 5.08

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.25 SAR 4.70

2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.26 SAR 4.72

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.06 SAR 3.99

23.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.58 SAR 2.19

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 15.96

$4.20 SAR 15.77

1.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.98 SAR 7.41

-21.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$2.53 SAR 9.49

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.19 SAR 30.71

$2.70 SAR 10.12

203.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.77 SAR 149

$39.44 SAR 148

0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 SAR 12.73

$3.14 SAR 11.77

7.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 SAR 10.07

$1.83 SAR 6.86

46.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 SAR 49.07

$15.24 SAR 57.2

-14.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.59 SAR 2.21

10.17%

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

$22.8K SAR 85.3K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-13.64%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$21.3K SAR 79.7K

-0.74%

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

$117 SAR 440

$105 SAR 393

11.83%

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

$38.77 SAR 145

$32.00 SAR 120

21.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 238

$69.0 SAR 259

-7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.4 SAR 264

$86.2 SAR 323

-18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.59 SAR 115

$35.52 SAR 133

-13.88%

Cinema Ticket

$15.53 SAR 58.2

$13.15 SAR 49.32

18.10%

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

$415 SAR 1,556

$409 SAR 1,533

1.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,100 SAR 30.4K

$6,615 SAR 24.8K

22.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 SAR 250

$64.1 SAR 240

4.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 SAR 252

$58.8 SAR 220

14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 SAR 349

$93.2 SAR 350

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 SAR 321

$84.3 SAR 316

1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 SAR 1,661

$283 SAR 1,061

56.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,427

$380 SAR 1,424

0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 SAR 2,959

$529 SAR 1,985

49.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,385

$632 SAR 2,370

0.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 SAR 3,370

$2,036 SAR 7,634

-55.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$758 SAR 2,843

$1,187 SAR 4,450

-36.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,009 SAR 7,532

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Ad Dammam and $283 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Ad Dammam vs $21 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $163 per month, with Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabigh wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rabigh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,810 in Ad Dammam and $1,729 in Rabigh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Ad Dammam versus $283 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,206 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,153 in Rabigh – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,206 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh 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 Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.