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: $1,172 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,774 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,825 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,375 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,452 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Al-hawiyah costs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-hawiyah 15% lower, Ad Dammam 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 SAR 25.42

$8.09 SAR 30.38

-16.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.01 SAR 139

$37.23 SAR 140

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 SAR 29.45

$6.79 SAR 25.50

15.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.80 SAR 6.76

-6.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.37

$2.06 SAR 7.73

-4.85%

Cappuccino

$3.43 SAR 12.87

$3.04 SAR 11.42

12.83%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$0.77 SAR 2.88

6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.17 SAR 0.62

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.81

$1.33 SAR 5.00

-24.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.93 SAR 7.25

10.36%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$2.10 SAR 7.89

10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 SAR 28.23

$7.34 SAR 27.57

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 SAR 29.48

$7.76 SAR 29.13

1.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 SAR 48.92

$12.48 SAR 46.86

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.18 SAR 8.20

-1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-1.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.31

$1.08 SAR 4.04

6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.19 SAR 4.46

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.56 SAR 2.12

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.82 SAR 10.59

$4.20 SAR 15.78

-32.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.49 SAR 5.59

16.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.23 SAR 8.39

-6.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 SAR 24.31

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-13.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.90 SAR 3.37

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.32 SAR 133

$35.24 SAR 132

0.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 SAR 11.15

$2.67 SAR 10.03

11.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-32.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.33

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.42

$0.60 SAR 2.24

8.33%

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

$44.6K SAR 167.6K

$66.9K SAR 251.2K

-33.28%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

$20.9K SAR 78.4K

1.95%

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

$103 SAR 387

$126 SAR 472

-18.16%

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

$32.87 SAR 123

$33.14 SAR 124

-0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 SAR 245

$62.7 SAR 235

3.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 SAR 310

$76.1 SAR 286

8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.50 SAR 141

$27.76 SAR 104

35.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-0.52%

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

$347 SAR 1,303

$414 SAR 1,554

-16.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,759 SAR 25.4K

$7,996 SAR 30.0K

-15.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 SAR 187

$41.25 SAR 155

20.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 SAR 223

$48.67 SAR 183

22.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 SAR 367

$97.3 SAR 365

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 SAR 326

$91.8 SAR 345

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 SAR 2,149

$566 SAR 2,126

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,292

$376 SAR 1,410

-8.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 SAR 3,306

$988 SAR 3,709

-10.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 SAR 2,067

$672 SAR 2,523

-18.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,308 SAR 8,667

$1,376 SAR 5,167

67.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 SAR 5,210

$597 SAR 2,240

132.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,528 SAR 5,737

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.9

-7.29%

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

Last update for Al-hawiyah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $572 in Al-hawiyah and $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $37.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $199 per month, with Al-hawiyah 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

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

Al-hawiyah wins on cost – living expenses run 2% 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 $1,759 in Al-hawiyah and $1,796 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: $572 in Al-hawiyah versus $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,172 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-hawiyah runs roughly 0% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,172 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,198 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 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.