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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,000 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Ad Dammam versus $1,512 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Ad Dammam versus $2,023 in Yanbu.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 21% more expensive than Yanbu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Yanbu 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 SAR 28.11

$6.59 SAR 24.73

13.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$37.96 SAR 142

42.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$6.49 SAR 24.34

19.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$2.01 SAR 7.56

-4.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.59 SAR 5.95

14.47%

Cappuccino

$3.60 SAR 13.51

$3.74 SAR 14.05

-3.74%

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

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.70 SAR 2.62

27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.31

$0.23 SAR 0.86

52.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$0.87 SAR 3.28

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.20 SAR 8.24

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.64 SAR 9.90

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.56

$5.85 SAR 21.96

2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$7.92 SAR 29.72

-8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 SAR 37.41

$12.20 SAR 45.78

-18.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.16 SAR 8.11

0.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.46 SAR 5.46

-3.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.54 SAR 5.80

3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.59

$1.26 SAR 4.71

-3.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.97 SAR 3.62

43.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.10 SAR 4.12

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.55 SAR 2.08

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$1.30 SAR 4.87

222.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.32 SAR 4.94

22.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$1.76 SAR 6.61

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$6.24 SAR 23.41

25.64%

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

$33.86 SAR 127

20.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 SAR 12.60

$3.26 SAR 12.23

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$0.78 SAR 2.92

247.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$15.35 SAR 57.6

-11.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.57 SAR 2.14

7.02%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

-11.73%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

-5.35%

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

$117 SAR 440

$106 SAR 398

10.50%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$22.79 SAR 85.5

70.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 SAR 234

$68.7 SAR 258

-9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 SAR 259

$97.5 SAR 366

-29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$35.04 SAR 132

-12.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.12 SAR 49.23

14.71%

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

$414 SAR 1,552

$315 SAR 1,181

31.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

117.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$23.07 SAR 86.6

199.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$20.91 SAR 78.5

223.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 SAR 340

$66.3 SAR 249

36.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$48.58 SAR 182

76.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$316 SAR 1,185

40.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 SAR 1,446

$244 SAR 914

58.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$606 SAR 2,274

32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,382

$410 SAR 1,539

54.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 SAR 4,995

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 SAR 3,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

-46.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

3.3

31.21%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $316 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 87% 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 $38.00 in Yanbu. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $189, 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yanbu wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yanbu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Yanbu earns 87% 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 $316 in Yanbu. 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 $1,000 in Yanbu – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 20% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,000 in Yanbu versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yanbu but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Yanbu 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 Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.