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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,363 in Al Khobar versus $1,215 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,155 in Al Khobar versus $1,840 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Al Khobar versus $2,465 in Dammam.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Dammam is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.25

$6.68 SAR 25.04

-3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 SAR 203

$39.64 SAR 149

36.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$8.01 SAR 30.05

-2.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$1.78 SAR 6.68

10.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.85 SAR 6.93

47.57%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SAR 16.24

$3.56 SAR 13.36

21.63%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$0.81 SAR 3.03

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.96

$0.30 SAR 1.14

73.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.71 SAR 6.40

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.00 SAR 3.76

32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.51 SAR 9.41

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.23

$6.73 SAR 25.24

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 SAR 34.31

$7.53 SAR 28.26

21.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 SAR 46.70

$12.78 SAR 47.94

-2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

$2.28 SAR 8.54

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.66 SAR 6.23

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$1.59 SAR 5.95

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.13

$1.56 SAR 5.84

5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.23 SAR 4.60

16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.32 SAR 4.96

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.30 SAR 4.87

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-4.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.84

$2.90 SAR 10.89

-9.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-20.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

$2.01 SAR 7.52

-2.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-8.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.32

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 SAR 230

$39.58 SAR 148

54.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-17.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$13.42 SAR 50.3

-49.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.64 SAR 2.40

1.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.1K

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

-18.39%

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

$23.2K SAR 86.9K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

0.17%

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

$122 SAR 457

$106 SAR 397

15.18%

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

$35.22 SAR 132

$33.23 SAR 125

5.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 SAR 302

$70.5 SAR 264

14.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 408

$96.3 SAR 361

12.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$36.28 SAR 136

1.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.50 SAR 65.6

$14.86 SAR 55.7

17.77%

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

$305 SAR 1,145

$346 SAR 1,298

-11.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,624 SAR 28.6K

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

2.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 SAR 240

$56.4 SAR 212

13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 SAR 261

$63.9 SAR 240

8.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 367

$84.5 SAR 317

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$81.8 SAR 307

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 SAR 1,621

$428 SAR 1,606

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 SAR 1,472

$382 SAR 1,434

2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 SAR 3,881

$877 SAR 3,288

18.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SAR 3,005

$633 SAR 2,374

26.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,469 SAR 9,261

$1,776 SAR 6,661

39.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 SAR 5,480

$1,107 SAR 4,150

32.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,921 SAR 7,202

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: April 22, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Al Khobar and $428 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Al Khobar vs $40 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $197 per month, with Dammam 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 Khobar vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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 Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,044 in Al Khobar and $1,823 in 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: $432 in Al Khobar versus $428 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 55% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Al Khobar versus $346 in Dammam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,363 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,215 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar and 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 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.