Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-hawiyah and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-hawiyah and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,854 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,504 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,503 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Al-hawiyah costs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-hawiyah 10% lower, Ad Dammam 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 SAR 24.50

$7.45 SAR 27.99

-12.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.75 SAR 164

$53.0 SAR 199

-17.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 SAR 29.72

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-5.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$3.71 SAR 13.92

$3.55 SAR 13.33

4.51%

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

$0.80 SAR 2.99

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-18.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.64 SAR 6.15

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$1.42 SAR 5.32

-28.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.71

$2.12 SAR 7.96

9.43%

Eggs

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.31 SAR 8.68

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 SAR 26.24

$5.99 SAR 22.48

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 SAR 28.48

$7.32 SAR 27.49

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 SAR 48.23

$10.07 SAR 37.81

27.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.09 SAR 7.85

8.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.55 SAR 5.82

7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.39 SAR 5.23

24.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.37 SAR 5.15

-6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.45

$1.29 SAR 4.86

-7.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.55 SAR 2.08

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.02 SAR 11.36

$4.12 SAR 15.47

-26.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.61 SAR 6.05

8.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.61

$1.99 SAR 7.47

2.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 SAR 25.76

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-11.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.94 SAR 3.51

11.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.56 SAR 149

$39.30 SAR 148

0.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-21.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-1.64%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

19.32%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

6.82%

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

$105 SAR 393

$118 SAR 444

-11.60%

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

$33.27 SAR 125

$38.60 SAR 145

-13.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 SAR 269

$63.4 SAR 238

12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 SAR 334

$70.7 SAR 266

25.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 SAR 134

$30.89 SAR 116

15.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.40 SAR 57.8

$15.30 SAR 57.5

0.65%

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

$350 SAR 1,313

$427 SAR 1,602

-18.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,026 SAR 26.4K

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

-14.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 SAR 219

$68.0 SAR 255

-14.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SAR 228

$67.8 SAR 255

-10.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 SAR 292

$90.5 SAR 340

-13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 SAR 312

$86.1 SAR 323

-3.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 SAR 1,619

$452 SAR 1,697

-4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 SAR 1,451

$376 SAR 1,413

2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,187

$792 SAR 2,976

7.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,317

$636 SAR 2,388

-2.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,514 SAR 9,441

$1,320 SAR 4,956

90.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,367 SAR 5,135

$812 SAR 3,051

68.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,640

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.33

2.08%

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

Last update for Al-hawiyah: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $431 in Al-hawiyah and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $185, 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

Al-hawiyah vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-hawiyah wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al-hawiyah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,805 in Al-hawiyah and $1,816 in Ad Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $431 in Al-hawiyah versus $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-hawiyah runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,204 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-hawiyah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Al-hawiyah 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, Al-hawiyah and Ad Dammam 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 Al-hawiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.