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: $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $986 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Ad Dammam versus $1,533 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,574 in Ad Dammam versus $2,081 in Yanbu.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 25% more expensive than Yanbu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 8% lower, Yanbu 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.41

$6.73 SAR 25.25

8.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$37.95 SAR 142

42.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 SAR 30.50

$6.59 SAR 24.70

23.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.99 SAR 7.45

-6.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.63 SAR 6.10

12.88%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$3.68 SAR 13.78

-0.27%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.15

$0.76 SAR 2.84

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.23 SAR 0.86

60.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.92 SAR 3.44

59.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-5.80%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 SAR 23.54

$5.87 SAR 22.03

6.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 SAR 27.85

$7.63 SAR 28.62

-2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.91

$11.93 SAR 44.75

-15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.27

$2.17 SAR 8.13

1.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-10.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.45 SAR 5.42

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.53 SAR 5.72

9.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.26 SAR 4.71

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.01 SAR 3.78

31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.06 SAR 3.99

22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.51 SAR 1.92

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

$1.32 SAR 4.95

221.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

$1.36 SAR 5.11

15.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

$1.70 SAR 6.37

18.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 SAR 30.17

$6.26 SAR 23.48

28.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.33

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-15.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.57 SAR 148

$32.80 SAR 123

20.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$3.15 SAR 11.82

5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.22

$0.84 SAR 3.14

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.27

$15.32 SAR 57.4

-14.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.62 SAR 2.32

3.23%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

-11.25%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

-2.97%

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

$117 SAR 438

$108 SAR 403

8.66%

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

$38.51 SAR 144

$22.12 SAR 82.9

74.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 237

$70.5 SAR 264

-10.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 SAR 261

$96.9 SAR 364

-28.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.63 SAR 115

$35.37 SAR 133

-13.40%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$13.13 SAR 49.25

14.39%

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

$425 SAR 1,592

$322 SAR 1,209

31.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

117.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 SAR 251

$22.59 SAR 84.7

196.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 SAR 248

$21.69 SAR 81.4

204.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 347

$66.6 SAR 250

39.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$47.14 SAR 177

85.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$307 SAR 1,153

44.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$242 SAR 907

55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 SAR 2,997

$607 SAR 2,277

31.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,398

$405 SAR 1,517

58.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$894 SAR 3,352

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 SAR 2,917

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 SAR 7,403

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

-42.93%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $307 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 75% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $188 per month, with Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yanbu wins on cost – living expenses run 25% 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 75% 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 $307 in Yanbu. 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 $986 in Yanbu – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 21% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $986 in Yanbu versus $1,237 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 25% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.