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: $1,355 in Al Khobar versus $1,233 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,119 in Al Khobar versus $1,851 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,883 in Al Khobar versus $2,468 in Dammam.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 10% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 1% above, Dammam is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 SAR 24.61

$6.69 SAR 25.11

-1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 SAR 204

$39.71 SAR 149

36.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.77

$7.93 SAR 29.75

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$1.76 SAR 6.62

13.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$1.76 SAR 6.60

53.98%

Cappuccino

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$3.76 SAR 14.12

11.44%

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

$0.97 SAR 3.64

$0.81 SAR 3.06

19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.79

$0.28 SAR 1.05

71.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.62 SAR 6.10

8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.20

$1.01 SAR 3.79

37.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.27 SAR 8.52

0.44%

Eggs

$2.93 SAR 10.99

$2.55 SAR 9.57

14.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 SAR 25.42

$6.93 SAR 26.03

-2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 SAR 34.80

$7.44 SAR 27.92

24.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.80

$13.11 SAR 49.21

-2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 SAR 9.16

$2.34 SAR 8.80

4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

$1.69 SAR 6.36

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.28

$1.64 SAR 6.14

34.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

$1.24 SAR 4.64

18.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.37 SAR 5.14

20.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.34 SAR 5.04

26.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-1.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$2.88 SAR 10.83

-6.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-18.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-5.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.27

$7.03 SAR 26.40

-7.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-14.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 SAR 226

$40.58 SAR 152

48.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 SAR 8.43

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-13.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-26.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 SAR 25.37

$13.17 SAR 49.44

-48.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

-19.92%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-0.04%

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

$123 SAR 460

$103 SAR 386

19.14%

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

$34.44 SAR 129

$34.12 SAR 128

0.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.1 SAR 308

$71.3 SAR 268

15.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$95.3 SAR 358

11.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 SAR 136

$35.74 SAR 134

1.54%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 SAR 64.6

$14.63 SAR 54.9

17.57%

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

$308 SAR 1,156

$347 SAR 1,304

-11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,694 SAR 28.9K

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

3.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 SAR 236

$54.8 SAR 206

14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 SAR 264

$64.0 SAR 240

10.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 SAR 368

$83.8 SAR 314

16.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 SAR 303

$80.8 SAR 303

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,652

$445 SAR 1,670

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$380 SAR 1,428

6.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 SAR 3,857

$881 SAR 3,305

16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 SAR 2,942

$617 SAR 2,314

27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 SAR 9,058

$1,773 SAR 6,657

36.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,465 SAR 5,500

$1,092 SAR 4,100

34.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,820 SAR 6,833

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Al Khobar and $445 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $199 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 10% 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 $2,033 in Al Khobar and $1,849 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: $440 in Al Khobar versus $445 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 49% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Al Khobar versus $347 in Dammam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,355 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 $1,233 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 10% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.