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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,237 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,848 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $2,460 in Umluj.

Monthly costs are close between Ad Dammam and Umluj; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Umluj 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$6.58 SAR 24.68

11.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$45.36 SAR 170

18.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$8.21 SAR 30.78

-0.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.76 SAR 6.60

5.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.79 SAR 6.71

2.79%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$3.75 SAR 14.08

-2.13%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.80 SAR 2.99

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.31 SAR 1.18

19.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.70 SAR 6.37

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.95 SAR 3.55

54.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-10.59%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.48 SAR 9.31

-7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$6.76 SAR 25.35

-7.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$7.32 SAR 27.44

1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$13.24 SAR 49.64

-23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$2.27 SAR 8.51

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-13.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.61 SAR 6.03

3.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.28 SAR 4.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.28 SAR 4.81

3.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.17 SAR 4.40

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.55 SAR 2.07

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$3.22 SAR 12.07

31.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.70 SAR 6.36

-7.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$2.10 SAR 7.87

-3.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$7.13 SAR 26.75

12.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-16.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$39.24 SAR 147

0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.69 SAR 10.10

23.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$1.90 SAR 7.13

43.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$13.40 SAR 50.3

-1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.60 SAR 2.24

6.67%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

-13.54%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-8.11%

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

$117 SAR 438

$106 SAR 398

10.03%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$33.78 SAR 127

14.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$72.8 SAR 273

-13.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$88.6 SAR 332

-21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$36.32 SAR 136

-15.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$15.81 SAR 59.3

-5.00%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$350 SAR 1,312

21.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$6,866 SAR 25.7K

21.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$58.5 SAR 219

14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$59.9 SAR 225

10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$80.6 SAR 302

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$81.3 SAR 305

7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$440 SAR 1,649

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$388 SAR 1,456

-2.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$861 SAR 3,229

-7.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$633 SAR 2,372

1.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

$2,328 SAR 8,731

-61.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

$1,358 SAR 5,093

-42.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$4,303 SAR 16.1K

-54.12%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Umluj: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $440 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 118% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $45.00 in Umluj. Groceries flip the comparison at $189 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 Umluj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Umluj earns 118% 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $440 in Umluj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 1% less than in Umluj. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Umluj. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,237 in Umluj, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Umluj. 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 Umluj are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Ad Dammam wins on affordability, Umluj on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.