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: $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,121 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,860 in Ad Dammam versus $1,674 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Ad Dammam versus $2,228 in Rabigh.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 7% more expensive than in Rabigh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Rabigh 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 SAR 27.36

$4.04 SAR 15.16

80.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 SAR 202

$21.35 SAR 80.2

151.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.15

$7.26 SAR 27.25

10.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.36 SAR 5.11

33.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$0.77 SAR 2.90

146.75%

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 14.00

$2.42 SAR 9.08

54.13%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.66 SAR 2.47

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.13 SAR 0.49

169.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.35 SAR 5.06

20.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$0.26 SAR 0.98

461.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.29 SAR 8.61

-8.73%

Eggs

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.20 SAR 8.25

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 SAR 22.97

$5.23 SAR 19.63

17.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.22

$4.71 SAR 17.68

53.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 SAR 36.41

$12.71 SAR 47.73

-23.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.12 SAR 7.96

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-10.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.35 SAR 5.07

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.26 SAR 4.74

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.07 SAR 4.01

27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.59 SAR 2.23

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

$4.13 SAR 15.49

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.96 SAR 7.37

-20.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$2.53 SAR 9.50

-24.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.12

$2.63 SAR 9.86

195.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$1.05 SAR 3.92

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.54 SAR 148

$39.83 SAR 150

-0.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$3.23 SAR 12.11

4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$1.84 SAR 6.91

42.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-10.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-4.76%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

-14.49%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

-1.56%

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

$115 SAR 432

$107 SAR 403

7.21%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$31.87 SAR 120

21.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 239

$70.1 SAR 263

-9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 SAR 265

$86.6 SAR 325

-18.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.26 SAR 117

$35.88 SAR 135

-12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 SAR 56.5

$13.39 SAR 50.3

12.47%

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

$415 SAR 1,558

$402 SAR 1,508

3.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

27.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 SAR 258

$64.7 SAR 243

6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 SAR 250

$57.9 SAR 217

15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$94.2 SAR 354

-1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 SAR 322

$85.1 SAR 319

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,677

$284 SAR 1,064

57.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 SAR 1,421

$387 SAR 1,453

-2.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 SAR 3,021

$523 SAR 1,965

53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,349

$622 SAR 2,334

0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,353 SAR 5,080

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

-49.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 SAR 3,062

$1,488 SAR 5,585

-45.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 SAR 5,667

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $284 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 $184 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 7% 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 $1,794 in Ad Dammam and $1,681 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $284 in Rabigh. 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 $1,121 in Rabigh – a 7% 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 $1,121 in Rabigh versus $1,196 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 7% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.