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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 30% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 10% below, Riyadh is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-10.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$53.0 SAR 199

1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-1.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.71 SAR 6.41

7.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-18.39%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-9.54%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.71 SAR 2.66

29.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.29 SAR 1.07

20.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.68 SAR 6.30

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.28 SAR 4.79

13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-11.06%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-17.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-29.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-28.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-33.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-10.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-25.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.53 SAR 5.73

8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.53 SAR 1.99

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-48.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-6.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-16.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.54 SAR 28.29

5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$36.73 SAR 138

9.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$3.28 SAR 12.29

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.85 SAR 6.95

43.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-1.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-32.40%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-9.22%

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

$117 SAR 438

$104 SAR 391

11.98%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$34.25 SAR 129

11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$77.0 SAR 289

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$105 SAR 394

-32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$58.3 SAR 219

-47.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-3.90%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$457 SAR 1,716

-9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$59.5 SAR 223

12.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$64.1 SAR 241

6.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$107 SAR 400

-14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$100 SAR 376

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-58.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$841 SAR 3,158

-55.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-60.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-41.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-57.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-58.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-15.87%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 19% 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: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $53.0 in Riyadh. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $226, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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 44% 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, Riyadh earns 19% less. 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,739 in Riyadh – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 9% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,739 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 $1,210 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 44% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.