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: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $916 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,470 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,023 in Taif.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 32% more expensive than in Taif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Taif 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$5.30 SAR 19.91

40.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$40.54 SAR 152

30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$6.80 SAR 25.53

16.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.96 SAR 7.35

-4.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.58 SAR 5.95

17.09%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$2.94 SAR 11.04

20.75%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.77 SAR 2.91

19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.28 SAR 1.06

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.36 SAR 5.10

20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$0.28 SAR 1.05

407.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-7.42%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.58 SAR 9.70

-10.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$7.26 SAR 27.28

-17.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$6.23 SAR 23.38

17.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$10.61 SAR 39.86

-5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.28 SAR 8.57

-8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.98 SAR 7.45

-29.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.83 SAR 6.88

-9.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.44 SAR 5.40

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-15.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$0.93 SAR 3.48

38.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$1.03 SAR 3.87

-46.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$2.87 SAR 10.79

43.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-16.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$1.62 SAR 6.07

22.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$6.73 SAR 25.26

15.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-13.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$39.58 SAR 149

-0.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.62 SAR 9.85

26.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$2.02 SAR 7.58

35.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.06 SAR 49.03

3.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-3.17%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

11.21%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

1.42%

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

$118 SAR 444

$75.3 SAR 283

57.25%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$28.59 SAR 107

35.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$85.9 SAR 323

-26.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$76.7 SAR 288

-7.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$37.83 SAR 142

-18.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$17.16 SAR 64.4

-10.84%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$263 SAR 986

62.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

46.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$39.70 SAR 149

71.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$41.96 SAR 158

61.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$77.7 SAR 292

16.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$47.39 SAR 178

81.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$215 SAR 808

109.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$172 SAR 644

119.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$437 SAR 1,642

81.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$347 SAR 1,301

83.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,332 SAR 8,755

-43.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,352 SAR 5,076

-39.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

$1,814 SAR 6,811

-17.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $215 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $41.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $182 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 32% 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, salaries run 21% lower in Taif. 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $215 in Taif. 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 $916 in Taif – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taif 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 $916 in Taif versus $1,211 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 32% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.