Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,169 in Al-Ula versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,767 in Al-Ula versus $1,825 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,365 in Al-Ula versus $2,452 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Al-Ula costs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Ula 15% lower, Ad Dammam 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$8.09 SAR 30.38

-15.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 SAR 138

$37.23 SAR 140

-1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.10

$6.79 SAR 25.50

18.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.80 SAR 6.76

-10.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.06 SAR 7.73

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.74

$3.04 SAR 11.42

11.51%

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

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$0.77 SAR 2.88

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.17 SAR 0.62

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.33 SAR 5.00

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$1.93 SAR 7.25

15.03%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.10 SAR 7.89

11.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$7.34 SAR 27.57

0.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$7.76 SAR 29.13

0.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 SAR 48.33

$12.48 SAR 46.86

3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.18 SAR 8.20

-1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-1.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.63 SAR 6.13

2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.08 SAR 4.04

6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.19 SAR 4.46

10.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.56 SAR 2.12

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

$4.20 SAR 15.78

-31.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.49 SAR 5.59

13.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$2.23 SAR 8.39

-5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$0.90 SAR 3.37

18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.60 SAR 137

$35.24 SAR 132

3.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$2.67 SAR 10.03

12.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-29.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.84

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-1.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

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

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

$66.9K SAR 251.2K

-31.82%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$20.9K SAR 78.4K

2.26%

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

$102 SAR 382

$126 SAR 472

-19.07%

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

$32.80 SAR 123

$33.14 SAR 124

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$62.7 SAR 235

6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$76.1 SAR 286

9.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.63 SAR 138

$27.76 SAR 104

31.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-0.44%

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

$342 SAR 1,284

$414 SAR 1,554

-17.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

$7,996 SAR 30.0K

-17.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$41.25 SAR 155

23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$48.67 SAR 183

21.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$97.3 SAR 365

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$91.8 SAR 345

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,142

$566 SAR 2,126

0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$376 SAR 1,410

-7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SAR 3,273

$988 SAR 3,709

-11.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,077

$672 SAR 2,523

-17.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 SAR 8,812

$1,376 SAR 5,167

70.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$597 SAR 2,240

131.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,528 SAR 5,737

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.9

-7.29%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Al-Ula and $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-Ula vs $37.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $199 per month, with Al-Ula 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-Ula vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Ula wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al-Ula the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,753 in Al-Ula and $1,796 in Ad 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: $571 in Al-Ula versus $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,169 per month in Al-Ula versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Ula runs roughly 4% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,169 in Al-Ula versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-Ula but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Ula 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-Ula 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 Al-Ula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.