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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 31% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 9% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$53.9 SAR 202

-1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-0.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.69 SAR 6.33

11.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-19.91%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-10.80%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.77 SAR 2.88

19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.31 SAR 1.17

22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.33 SAR 4.98

6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-10.17%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-14.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-29.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-26.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.81

$14.50 SAR 54.5

-30.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-9.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-26.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.59 SAR 5.96

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.25 SAR 4.68

2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-6.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-9.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.52 SAR 1.94

5.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-47.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-10.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.41 SAR 9.07

-17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$7.41 SAR 27.83

4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$36.88 SAR 138

6.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$3.22 SAR 12.09

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.84 SAR 6.93

48.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.19 SAR 49.54

2.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-4.69%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-36.65%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-11.04%

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

$118 SAR 444

$106 SAR 398

11.79%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$35.14 SAR 132

9.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$76.9 SAR 289

-17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$106 SAR 399

-33.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$59.9 SAR 225

-48.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-5.67%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$465 SAR 1,747

-8.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-13.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$58.3 SAR 219

16.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$65.1 SAR 244

4.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$110 SAR 413

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$101 SAR 378

-14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$1,110 SAR 4,167

-59.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$843 SAR 3,164

-55.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,976

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-60.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,388

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-43.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-54.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,938 SAR 7,280

-58.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,640

$2,020 SAR 7,588

-25.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

5.31

-18.46%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 35% 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: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $225 per month, with Ad Dammam 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 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 35% 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,758 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 7% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,758 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 $1,211 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.