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: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,905 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,574 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 8% 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 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$7.31 SAR 27.41

-6.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$53.9 SAR 202

-2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$8.13 SAR 30.50

-3.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.86 SAR 6.97

9.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.84 SAR 6.91

48.37%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.67 SAR 13.78

15.26%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.84 SAR 3.15

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.37 SAR 1.39

32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.72 SAR 6.45

2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.11 SAR 7.91

13.74%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.29 SAR 8.58

23.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$6.28 SAR 23.54

9.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$7.43 SAR 27.85

21.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$10.11 SAR 37.91

22.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.21 SAR 8.27

9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.48 SAR 5.57

16.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.45 SAR 5.43

52.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.28 SAR 4.82

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.33 SAR 4.98

29.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.30 SAR 4.88

31.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.59 SAR 2.22

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$4.24 SAR 15.88

-35.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.57 SAR 5.87

-6.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.02 SAR 7.56

-7.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$8.04 SAR 30.17

-18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$0.89 SAR 3.33

2.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$39.57 SAR 148

50.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-33.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$2.73 SAR 10.22

-52.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.14 SAR 49.27

-49.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-1.56%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-7.69%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

10.61%

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

$123 SAR 461

$117 SAR 438

5.14%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$38.51 SAR 144

-10.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$63.3 SAR 237

27.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$69.6 SAR 261

56.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$30.63 SAR 115

17.76%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$15.02 SAR 56.3

14.18%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$425 SAR 1,592

-28.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

-9.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$67.0 SAR 251

-6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$66.0 SAR 248

4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$92.6 SAR 347

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$87.2 SAR 327

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$445 SAR 1,670

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$377 SAR 1,414

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$799 SAR 2,997

31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$640 SAR 2,398

23.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$894 SAR 3,352

169.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$778 SAR 2,917

84.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,974 SAR 7,403

-1.62%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $189, 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 8% 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 2% 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: $437 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 $1,341 per month in Al Khobar versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam – a 8% 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 $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,341 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 8% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.