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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,165 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,656 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,147 in Sakakah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 4% more expensive than Sakakah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Sakakah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$5.70 SAR 21.39

28.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$44.82 SAR 168

19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.88 SAR 29.56

1.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$2.15 SAR 8.07

-14.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.62 SAR 6.07

12.35%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.65 SAR 13.70

1.37%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.70 SAR 2.64

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.31 SAR 1.18

12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.64 SAR 6.16

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.98 SAR 3.69

47.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.39 SAR 8.96

-12.55%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$6.78 SAR 25.43

-10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$7.27 SAR 27.27

-1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$13.25 SAR 49.71

-27.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.16 SAR 8.11

-2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.59 SAR 5.98

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-19.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.60 SAR 6.02

3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.27 SAR 4.78

0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.28 SAR 4.81

3.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.19 SAR 4.47

13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.97 SAR 11.16

41.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-4.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.04 SAR 7.65

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.89 SAR 25.88

14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$39.76 SAR 149

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.61 SAR 9.79

26.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.84 SAR 6.92

44.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.36 SAR 50.1

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.58 SAR 2.19

10.34%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

-13.93%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

-3.05%

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

$117 SAR 438

$105 SAR 392

11.64%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$33.71 SAR 127

13.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$72.8 SAR 273

-12.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$60.1 SAR 226

17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$35.30 SAR 132

-13.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$15.38 SAR 57.7

1.04%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$357 SAR 1,339

16.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$7,040 SAR 26.4K

16.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$60.4 SAR 227

10.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$61.0 SAR 229

11.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$78.1 SAR 293

16.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$80.7 SAR 303

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$225 SAR 846

98.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$384 SAR 1,441

-2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$344 SAR 1,291

132.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$301 SAR 1,131

112.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,070 SAR 7,767

-36.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,481 SAR 5,559

-45.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$918 SAR 3,446

106.37%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $225 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 106% 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 $45.00 in Sakakah. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 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 4% 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.

Ad Dammam pays 106% more on average, 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: $447 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 $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,165 in Sakakah – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah 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 $1,165 in Sakakah versus $1,210 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 4% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.