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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,348 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $2,016 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,685 in Tabuk.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 10% less than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 10% below, Tabuk is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$8.75 SAR 32.84

-16.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$27.64 SAR 104

93.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.18 SAR 26.95

11.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.58 SAR 5.94

15.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-4.71%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.10 SAR 11.64

19.35%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.76 SAR 2.83

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.28 SAR 1.06

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.52 SAR 1.94

178.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-23.44%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.69 SAR 10.11

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$12.19 SAR 45.75

-50.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$6.68 SAR 25.06

7.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$12.95 SAR 48.61

-25.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$1.98 SAR 7.45

6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.53 SAR 5.74

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.79 SAR 6.72

-22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-23.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-25.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-33.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.00 SAR 7.50

-32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.57 SAR 2.13

-3.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.87 SAR 10.79

45.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-9.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.50 SAR 28.14

5.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-16.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$39.99 SAR 150

0.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.69 SAR 10.10

22.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.91 SAR 7.17

38.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.20 SAR 49.53

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.30

4.92%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-12.76%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

-6.17%

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

$117 SAR 438

$160 SAR 602

-27.23%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$36.95 SAR 139

3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$106 SAR 399

-40.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$88.2 SAR 331

-19.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$35.71 SAR 134

-14.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$25.73 SAR 96.6

-39.60%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$355 SAR 1,334

16.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

-3.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$59.5 SAR 223

12.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$61.0 SAR 229

11.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$79.7 SAR 299

13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$82.7 SAR 310

3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$344 SAR 1,291

29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$366 SAR 1,374

2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$822 SAR 3,085

-2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$731 SAR 2,743

-12.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

-51.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,526 SAR 5,728

-47.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$1,707 SAR 6,406

11.01%

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 Tabuk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $344 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $28.00 in Tabuk. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $215, 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Tabuk. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ad Dammam pays 11% 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 $344 in Tabuk. 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 $1,348 in Tabuk – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 0% less than in Tabuk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,348 in Tabuk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Tabuk. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam 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 Tabuk 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 11% less than in Tabuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.