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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $922 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,467 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $2,011 in Taif.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 31% more expensive than Taif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Taif 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$5.25 SAR 19.69

39.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$40.17 SAR 151

33.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$6.71 SAR 25.18

18.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-11.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.58 SAR 5.94

15.19%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$2.92 SAR 10.96

26.71%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.72 SAR 2.70

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.26 SAR 0.97

34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.37 SAR 5.14

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.26 SAR 0.96

457.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-11.44%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.56 SAR 9.61

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$7.38 SAR 27.70

-17.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$5.99 SAR 22.49

19.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$10.73 SAR 40.25

-10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.28 SAR 8.55

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-13.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-12.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-14.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$0.85 SAR 3.19

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.97 SAR 3.65

-43.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

$2.88 SAR 10.81

45.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-16.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.63 SAR 6.14

21.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.55 SAR 24.56

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-17.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$40.19 SAR 151

-0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$2.72 SAR 10.21

20.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$2.04 SAR 7.67

29.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.18 SAR 49.45

0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.60 SAR 2.26

6.67%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

16.95%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

6.38%

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

$117 SAR 438

$73.2 SAR 275

59.35%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$28.41 SAR 107

34.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$88.5 SAR 332

-28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$76.0 SAR 285

-6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$37.04 SAR 139

-17.63%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$17.58 SAR 66.0

-11.60%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$264 SAR 991

57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

47.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$38.85 SAR 146

72.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$42.12 SAR 158

62.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$79.9 SAR 300

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$46.88 SAR 176

82.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$214 SAR 804

108.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$173 SAR 649

116.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$433 SAR 1,626

84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$349 SAR 1,309

83.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$2,130 SAR 7,993

-38.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,248 SAR 4,685

-35.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$2,031 SAR 7,622

-6.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.6

-5.87%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Last update for Taif: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $214 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 7% 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 $40.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $181 per month, with Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taif wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Taif earns 7% 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 $214 in Taif. 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 $922 in Taif – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $922 in Taif versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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 Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.