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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,191 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,635 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,079 in Sakakah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 2% more expensive than in Sakakah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Sakakah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$5.89 SAR 22.10

26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$44.60 SAR 167

18.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.75 SAR 29.11

2.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-10.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.62 SAR 6.08

14.20%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.66 SAR 13.75

-3.01%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.65 SAR 2.44

41.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.34 SAR 1.28

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.63 SAR 6.13

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$0.98 SAR 3.69

44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.30 SAR 8.65

-7.83%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.48 SAR 9.33

-6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$7.07 SAR 26.55

-15.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$7.62 SAR 28.60

-3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$12.82 SAR 48.15

-21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.19 SAR 8.23

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.57 SAR 5.89

5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.22 SAR 4.59

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.27 SAR 4.76

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.23 SAR 4.62

4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.54 SAR 2.04

1.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$2.49 SAR 9.36

65.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-5.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.03 SAR 7.61

-1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$7.19 SAR 26.99

7.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$40.73 SAR 153

-3.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.70 SAR 10.14

22.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.89 SAR 7.08

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.30 SAR 49.93

2.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-3.17%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$27.0K SAR 101.5K

-17.78%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

-7.53%

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

$118 SAR 444

$107 SAR 401

10.84%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$34.33 SAR 129

12.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$72.9 SAR 274

-12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$59.6 SAR 224

18.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$35.80 SAR 134

-13.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$15.68 SAR 58.9

-2.42%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$356 SAR 1,336

19.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$7,006 SAR 26.3K

17.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$58.3 SAR 219

16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$60.0 SAR 225

13.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$78.0 SAR 293

16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$81.8 SAR 307

5.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$225 SAR 844

101.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$374 SAR 1,403

0.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$347 SAR 1,304

128.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$309 SAR 1,161

105.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,043 SAR 7,670

-35.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,506 SAR 5,653

-46.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

$923 SAR 3,467

62.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $225 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 63% 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 $45.00 in Sakakah. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $196, 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sakakah wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sakakah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 63% higher in Ad Dammam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $225 in Sakakah. 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 $1,191 in Sakakah – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 4% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,191 in Sakakah versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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 Sakakah 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.