Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$7.49 SAR 28.11

-10.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$54.1 SAR 203

-2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.78 SAR 29.21

3.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.91 SAR 7.16

6.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$1.82 SAR 6.82

47.80%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.31

$3.60 SAR 13.51

20.56%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.89 SAR 3.34

5.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.35 SAR 1.31

45.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.66 SAR 6.24

2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.00 SAR 7.52

15.00%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.24 SAR 8.41

30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$6.01 SAR 22.56

11.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$7.22 SAR 27.11

28.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$9.97 SAR 37.41

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.17 SAR 8.16

14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.50 SAR 5.61

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.41 SAR 5.28

58.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.60 SAR 6.01

1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.22 SAR 4.59

16.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.39 SAR 5.22

23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.36 SAR 5.10

25.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.59 SAR 2.22

6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$4.19 SAR 15.72

-37.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-9.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.00 SAR 7.49

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$7.84 SAR 29.44

-13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.95 SAR 3.56

2.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$40.76 SAR 153

50.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$3.36 SAR 12.60

-34.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-52.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-51.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.61 SAR 2.28

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

-5.79%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

13.15%

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

$125 SAR 468

$117 SAR 440

6.48%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$38.94 SAR 146

-10.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$62.3 SAR 234

30.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$69.0 SAR 259

58.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$30.82 SAR 116

18.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.05 SAR 56.5

17.34%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$414 SAR 1,552

-26.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-6.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$69.0 SAR 259

-6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$67.6 SAR 254

2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$90.7 SAR 340

9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$85.9 SAR 322

-9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$445 SAR 1,669

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$385 SAR 1,446

5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,830

$800 SAR 3,002

27.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$635 SAR 2,382

27.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,004

$1,331 SAR 4,995

80.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$804 SAR 3,019

82.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

$1,884 SAR 7,071

-1.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.33

-11.32%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 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 Khobar vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ad Dammam earns 1% 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,346 per month in Al Khobar versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 50% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,346 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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 Khobar 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 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.