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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,207 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,868 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,530 in Dammam.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.04

$6.73 SAR 25.28

-0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$40.67 SAR 153

29.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.19

$7.79 SAR 29.26

3.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.68

$1.81 SAR 6.81

12.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.77 SAR 6.64

51.98%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.31

$3.64 SAR 13.67

19.23%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.81 SAR 3.05

16.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.30 SAR 1.14

70.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.64 SAR 6.15

3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.02 SAR 3.82

37.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-2.54%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.97

$2.59 SAR 9.74

12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.16

$6.90 SAR 25.90

-2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.83

$7.53 SAR 28.26

23.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.24

$12.74 SAR 47.85

-1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.34 SAR 8.79

6.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.70 SAR 6.38

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.57 SAR 5.90

42.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.57 SAR 5.88

3.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.23 SAR 4.61

15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.33 SAR 5.01

29.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.37 SAR 5.13

24.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.58 SAR 2.19

8.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.80

$2.93 SAR 10.99

-10.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-15.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.09 SAR 7.84

-6.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.57

$7.25 SAR 27.22

-6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-10.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.81 SAR 149

53.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.73 SAR 10.27

-19.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.91 SAR 7.15

-31.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.64

$13.59 SAR 51.0

-51.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.24

1.67%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

-20.26%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

2.07%

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

$125 SAR 468

$106 SAR 399

17.35%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$33.85 SAR 127

3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 305

$70.6 SAR 265

14.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$95.4 SAR 358

14.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$34.96 SAR 131

4.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$14.40 SAR 54.1

22.64%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$355 SAR 1,332

-14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$55.8 SAR 209

15.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$62.7 SAR 235

10.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 374

$85.0 SAR 319

17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$80.3 SAR 301

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,649

$430 SAR 1,613

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,522

$373 SAR 1,401

8.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,832

$874 SAR 3,283

16.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,044

$632 SAR 2,372

28.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,009

$1,778 SAR 6,677

34.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,505

$1,106 SAR 4,154

32.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,987

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $430 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $198 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 $2,019 in Al Khobar and $1,810 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $430 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Al Khobar versus $355 in Dammam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,346 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 $1,207 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.