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: $1,222 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,882 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,872 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,542 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,533 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Al-hawiyah is roughly 1% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.66

$7.31 SAR 27.42

-6.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.30 SAR 166

$53.6 SAR 201

-17.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.27

$7.98 SAR 29.94

-2.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-7.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.92

$1.82 SAR 6.82

1.65%

Cappuccino

$3.61 SAR 13.54

$3.70 SAR 13.89

-2.43%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$0.92 SAR 3.43

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 SAR 1.30

-17.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-33.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.09 SAR 7.85

8.61%

Eggs

$2.42 SAR 9.09

$2.24 SAR 8.42

8.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.27

$6.06 SAR 22.73

11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 SAR 28.55

$7.15 SAR 26.85

6.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 SAR 49.00

$9.62 SAR 36.12

35.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.11 SAR 7.93

8.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.50 SAR 5.62

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.38 SAR 5.20

23.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-6.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$1.28 SAR 4.80

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.55 SAR 2.07

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.67 SAR 10.00

$4.19 SAR 15.73

-36.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.60 SAR 6.01

10.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

$1.98 SAR 7.44

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 SAR 25.88

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.89 SAR 3.36

17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 SAR 152

$40.16 SAR 151

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.02

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-18.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$2.65 SAR 9.96

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.34 SAR 50.1

$13.28 SAR 49.85

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.64 SAR 2.42

1.56%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

15.40%

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

$22.1K SAR 83.1K

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

4.18%

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

$106 SAR 397

$117 SAR 438

-9.39%

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

$34.27 SAR 129

$38.34 SAR 144

-10.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 SAR 277

$63.5 SAR 238

16.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$70.9 SAR 266

22.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.20 SAR 136

$30.51 SAR 114

18.65%

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 SAR 59.9

$15.54 SAR 58.3

2.70%

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

$350 SAR 1,313

$415 SAR 1,559

-15.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,922 SAR 26.0K

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

-15.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 SAR 222

$66.9 SAR 251

-11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 SAR 231

$68.2 SAR 256

-9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 SAR 292

$90.8 SAR 341

-14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 SAR 310

$85.5 SAR 321

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$447 SAR 1,678

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$375 SAR 1,408

-0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,252

$800 SAR 3,002

8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 SAR 2,346

$641 SAR 2,407

-2.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,091 SAR 7,846

$1,309 SAR 4,914

59.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,170 SAR 4,390

$805 SAR 3,020

45.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al-hawiyah and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $184, 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

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

You'd need roughly $1,833 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: $433 in Al-hawiyah versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,222 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,210 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 Ad Dammam runs roughly 1% less than in Al-hawiyah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,222 in Al-hawiyah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Al-hawiyah. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Al-hawiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.