Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Riyadh

For one person, living is cheaper in Ad Dammam: $1,198 a month against $1,738 in Riyadh, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Ad Dammam
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Ad Dammam Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index

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Ad Dammam

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,198

/mo nomad

Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ad Dammam and in Riyadh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ad Dammam and in Riyadh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,198 in Ad Dammam versus $1,738 in Riyadh.

Ad Dammam $1,198
Riyadh $1,738

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,835 in Ad Dammam versus $2,567 in Riyadh.

Ad Dammam $1,835
Riyadh $2,567

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,471 in Ad Dammam versus $3,396 in Riyadh.

Ad Dammam $2,471
Riyadh $3,396

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 31% less than in Riyadh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 11% below, Riyadh is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 SAR 27.17

$8.09 SAR 30.35

-10.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.15 SAR 132

$66.3 SAR 249

-46.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 SAR 24.89

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-18.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$2.08 SAR 7.79

-12.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-22.15%

Cappuccino

$3.06 SAR 11.48

$4.25 SAR 15.96

-28.00%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 SAR 0.72

$0.32 SAR 1.20

-40.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.76 SAR 6.60

3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 5.00

$1.26 SAR 4.72

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-20.58%

Eggs

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$3.13 SAR 11.76

-30.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 SAR 28.21

$10.69 SAR 40.11

-29.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 SAR 30.28

$9.44 SAR 35.41

-14.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 SAR 47.89

$15.19 SAR 57.0

-16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.84 SAR 10.65

-22.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.96 SAR 7.36

-15.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-7.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.48

$1.28 SAR 4.81

-7.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.14

$0.57 SAR 2.12

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.26

$7.83 SAR 29.38

-48.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-16.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.39 SAR 8.95

-9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.30

$7.50 SAR 28.15

0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.07 SAR 4.03

-14.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.31 SAR 132

$37.34 SAR 140

-5.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.73

$3.11 SAR 11.69

-16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$1.81 SAR 6.79

45.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.24 SAR 49.69

$13.23 SAR 49.66

0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-7.69%

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

$65.8K SAR 247.1K

$34.7K SAR 130.1K

89.97%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

-8.18%

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

$130 SAR 486

$106 SAR 396

22.86%

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

$33.20 SAR 125

$29.61 SAR 111

12.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 SAR 233

$70.7 SAR 265

-12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 SAR 289

$91.6 SAR 344

-15.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.97 SAR 105

$56.9 SAR 214

-50.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.5

$13.09 SAR 49.11

2.90%

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

$414 SAR 1,555

$523 SAR 1,963

-20.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,796 SAR 29.3K

$10.2K SAR 38.4K

-23.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.50 SAR 156

$58.8 SAR 221

-29.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.82 SAR 183

$53.1 SAR 199

-8.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 SAR 355

$101 SAR 379

-6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$103 SAR 386

-11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 SAR 2,176

$1,179 SAR 4,425

-50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 SAR 1,388

$832 SAR 3,122

-55.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 SAR 3,760

$2,227 SAR 8,359

-55.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 SAR 2,539

$1,224 SAR 4,595

-44.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,405 SAR 5,271

$2,996 SAR 11.2K

-53.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$604 SAR 2,268

$1,913 SAR 7,177

-68.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,487 SAR 5,581

$2,067 SAR 7,757

-28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.54

6.50%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: October 12, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ad Dammam

$370 30.9%

Riyadh

$832 47.9% 125% $462

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ad Dammam

$225 18.8%

Riyadh

$206 11.8% 8.5% $19

Groceries & Markets

Ad Dammam

$202 16.9%

Riyadh

$242 13.9% 19.4% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Ad Dammam

$124 10.4%

Riyadh

$142 8.2% 14.3% $18

Eating Out

Ad Dammam

$118 9.9%

Riyadh

$145 8.4% 22.9% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Ad Dammam

$104 8.7%

Riyadh

$118 6.8% 13.2% $14

Getting Around

Ad Dammam

$55 4.6%

Riyadh

$54 3.1% 1.7% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Ad Dammam and $1,179 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $66.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $242 per month, with Ad Dammam cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Ad Dammam

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🕒 Local time

11:03 11:03 AM

Same time as Ad Dammam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

903,312

5,188,286 Capital

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ad Dammam Riyadh 390 km

From you

Ad Dammam
Riyadh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Riyadh. 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: $580 in Ad Dammam versus $1,179 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,198 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,738 in Riyadh – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 6% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Ad Dammam versus $1,738 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,198 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Riyadh 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 45% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.