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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,146 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,774 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $2,402 in Unaizah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 8% more expensive than Unaizah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Unaizah 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$6.47 SAR 24.26

12.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$40.06 SAR 150

34.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$7.04 SAR 26.39

15.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.57 SAR 5.90

18.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.30 SAR 4.86

41.54%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$4.07 SAR 15.26

-9.83%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.72 SAR 2.72

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.28 SAR 1.06

32.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.50 SAR 5.61

14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.29 SAR 1.08

406.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-6.64%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.42 SAR 9.06

-5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$6.05 SAR 22.69

3.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$4.62 SAR 17.32

60.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$13.08 SAR 49.06

-22.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.55 SAR 5.82

7.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.29 SAR 4.84

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-49.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.19 SAR 4.47

9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.68 SAR 2.55

-13.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$3.09 SAR 11.58

37.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-6.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$2.08 SAR 7.80

-2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$6.84 SAR 25.64

17.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-17.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$40.65 SAR 152

-2.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.60 SAR 9.75

27.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$1.88 SAR 7.07

45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$13.53 SAR 50.7

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.61 SAR 2.28

4.92%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

-13.25%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-4.83%

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

$117 SAR 438

$104 SAR 391

12.06%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$33.59 SAR 126

14.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$71.8 SAR 269

-11.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$53.9 SAR 202

29.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$35.68 SAR 134

-14.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$15.43 SAR 57.9

-2.66%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$358 SAR 1,341

18.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$7,080 SAR 26.6K

17.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$60.1 SAR 225

11.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$60.8 SAR 228

8.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$78.6 SAR 295

17.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$80.4 SAR 302

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$448 SAR 1,679

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$374 SAR 1,404

0.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$847 SAR 3,175

-5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$630 SAR 2,364

1.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

$2,243 SAR 8,410

-60.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

$1,249 SAR 4,683

-37.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$2,542 SAR 9,532

-22.34%

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 Unaizah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $448 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 29% 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 Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $175 per month, with Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Unaizah wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Unaizah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Unaizah earns 29% 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 $448 in Unaizah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,146 in Unaizah – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,146 in Unaizah versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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 Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.