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: $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,150 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Ad Dammam versus $1,739 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Ad Dammam versus $2,327 in Unaizah.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 5% more expensive than Unaizah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Unaizah 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 SAR 28.11

$6.78 SAR 25.44

10.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$40.62 SAR 152

33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.14 SAR 26.79

8.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.65 SAR 6.18

15.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.30 SAR 4.88

40.00%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SAR 13.51

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-10.22%

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

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.68 SAR 2.54

30.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.31

$0.26 SAR 0.97

34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.47 SAR 5.50

12.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$0.31 SAR 1.18

367.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.35 SAR 8.81

-14.89%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.45 SAR 9.20

-8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.56

$5.89 SAR 22.11

2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$4.73 SAR 17.76

52.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 SAR 37.41

$13.18 SAR 49.44

-24.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.26 SAR 8.50

-3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-18.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.55 SAR 5.82

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.59

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-47.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.23 SAR 4.60

10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.70 SAR 2.63

-15.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$2.59 SAR 9.72

61.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-5.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$2.01 SAR 7.55

-0.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$6.95 SAR 26.10

12.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-12.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.76 SAR 153

$39.73 SAR 149

2.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 SAR 12.60

$2.70 SAR 10.15

24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.84 SAR 6.89

47.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-4.69%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

-14.17%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

-7.79%

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

$117 SAR 440

$106 SAR 397

10.82%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$33.99 SAR 128

14.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 SAR 234

$73.3 SAR 275

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 SAR 259

$53.0 SAR 199

30.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$36.24 SAR 136

-14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$15.77 SAR 59.2

-4.57%

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

$414 SAR 1,552

$353 SAR 1,324

17.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

17.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$58.1 SAR 218

18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$59.6 SAR 224

13.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 SAR 340

$79.8 SAR 299

13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$80.3 SAR 301

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$431 SAR 1,618

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 SAR 1,446

$381 SAR 1,429

1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$864 SAR 3,241

-7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,382

$629 SAR 2,361

0.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 SAR 4,995

$2,079 SAR 7,800

-35.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 SAR 3,019

$1,529 SAR 5,736

-47.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

$2,517 SAR 9,443

-25.12%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $431 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 34% 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 $41.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $176 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 5% 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 34% 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 $431 in Unaizah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,150 in Unaizah – a 5% 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 $1,150 in Unaizah versus $1,207 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 5% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.