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: $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,148 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Ad Dammam versus $1,667 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Ad Dammam versus $2,186 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 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 SAR 28.11

$3.90 SAR 14.63

92.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$21.09 SAR 79.1

156.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.15 SAR 26.82

8.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.31 SAR 4.93

45.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$0.76 SAR 2.87

139.47%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SAR 13.51

$2.42 SAR 9.06

48.76%

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

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.64 SAR 2.39

39.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.31

$0.11 SAR 0.42

218.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.30 SAR 4.88

27.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$0.28 SAR 1.06

417.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-14.53%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.22 SAR 8.32

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.56

$5.48 SAR 20.56

9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$4.94 SAR 18.55

46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 SAR 37.41

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-20.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.18 SAR 8.17

-0.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.60 SAR 6.00

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.58 SAR 5.92

-10.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.30 SAR 4.87

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.59

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-8.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.25 SAR 4.70

11.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.09 SAR 4.10

24.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.56 SAR 2.09

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$4.14 SAR 15.53

1.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.87 SAR 7.00

-13.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$2.52 SAR 9.45

-20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$2.72 SAR 10.21

188.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.76 SAR 153

$40.05 SAR 150

1.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 SAR 12.60

$3.29 SAR 12.36

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.82 SAR 6.84

48.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-9.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.59 SAR 2.23

3.39%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-15.54%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

-6.23%

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

$117 SAR 440

$107 SAR 402

9.36%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$32.50 SAR 122

19.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 SAR 234

$69.0 SAR 259

-9.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 SAR 259

$87.0 SAR 326

-20.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$35.38 SAR 133

-12.89%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.54 SAR 50.8

11.15%

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

$414 SAR 1,552

$401 SAR 1,504

3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

27.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$63.6 SAR 239

8.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$58.4 SAR 219

15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 SAR 340

$93.5 SAR 351

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$82.9 SAR 311

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$282 SAR 1,059

57.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 SAR 1,446

$382 SAR 1,434

0.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$523 SAR 1,962

53.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,382

$620 SAR 2,326

2.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 SAR 4,995

$2,005 SAR 7,525

-33.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 SAR 3,019

$1,394 SAR 5,231

-42.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $282 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $21.00 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $164 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 $1,811 in Ad Dammam and $1,722 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $282 in Rabigh. 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 $1,148 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 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,207 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.