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: $1,227 in Ad Dammam versus $1,208 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Ad Dammam versus $1,829 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Ad Dammam versus $2,449 in Umluj.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 2% more expensive than Umluj, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Umluj 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 SAR 27.71

$6.58 SAR 24.70

12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$45.13 SAR 169

17.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$8.12 SAR 30.48

-0.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.76 SAR 6.60

3.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.27

$3.58 SAR 13.42

-1.12%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.24

$0.79 SAR 2.98

8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.31 SAR 1.18

19.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.64 SAR 6.15

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$0.98 SAR 3.68

47.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-11.72%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.52 SAR 9.44

-11.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 SAR 23.76

$6.95 SAR 26.09

-8.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$7.37 SAR 27.64

1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 SAR 38.21

$13.15 SAR 49.36

-22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$2.28 SAR 8.56

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.66 SAR 6.21

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-16.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.55 SAR 5.83

5.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.27 SAR 4.78

-3.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.32 SAR 4.94

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.17 SAR 4.41

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.55 SAR 2.05

-1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.29

$2.68 SAR 10.06

52.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-4.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 SAR 30.79

$7.18 SAR 26.96

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.01 SAR 150

$40.13 SAR 151

-0.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.60 SAR 9.77

26.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$1.90 SAR 7.15

37.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.17 SAR 49.44

2.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$22.8K SAR 85.6K

$27.2K SAR 101.9K

-16.03%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.5K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

-6.99%

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

$118 SAR 441

$106 SAR 399

10.66%

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

$38.53 SAR 145

$34.23 SAR 128

12.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 SAR 237

$72.9 SAR 274

-13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 SAR 266

$86.8 SAR 326

-18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.70 SAR 119

$35.20 SAR 132

-9.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.55 SAR 58.4

$15.41 SAR 57.8

0.91%

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

$414 SAR 1,554

$356 SAR 1,334

16.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,136 SAR 30.5K

$6,995 SAR 26.2K

16.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 SAR 259

$59.6 SAR 223

16.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$59.7 SAR 224

11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 SAR 344

$78.1 SAR 293

17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 SAR 316

$82.3 SAR 309

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,679

$440 SAR 1,652

1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,393

$380 SAR 1,426

-2.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 SAR 2,924

$840 SAR 3,151

-7.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,348

$616 SAR 2,312

1.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,913

$2,338 SAR 8,775

-44.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 SAR 2,993

$1,315 SAR 4,934

-39.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 SAR 7,062

$4,252 SAR 16.0K

-55.75%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Umluj: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $440 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 126% 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 $45.00 in Umluj. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $197, 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

Umluj wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Umluj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Umluj earns 126% 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 $440 in Umluj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,208 in Umluj – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umluj 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 $1,208 in Umluj versus $1,227 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Umluj but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Umluj 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.

Expats usually find Umluj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.