Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rass and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rass and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,096 in Ar-rass versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,661 in Ar-rass versus $1,825 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,226 in Ar-rass versus $2,452 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Ar-rass costs roughly 9% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ar-rass 20% lower, Ad Dammam 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$8.09 SAR 30.38

-19.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.31 SAR 140

$37.23 SAR 140

0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SAR 30.39

$6.79 SAR 25.50

19.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.06 SAR 7.73

-0.97%

Cappuccino

$3.31 SAR 12.43

$3.04 SAR 11.42

8.88%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$0.77 SAR 2.88

7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.17 SAR 0.62

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.77 SAR 6.66

6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$1.33 SAR 5.00

-70.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

$1.93 SAR 7.25

-2.59%

Eggs

$3.54 SAR 13.30

$2.10 SAR 7.89

68.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.40

$7.34 SAR 27.57

-0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$7.76 SAR 29.13

4.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 SAR 48.76

$12.48 SAR 46.86

4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$2.18 SAR 8.20

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.71 SAR 6.44

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.08 SAR 4.04

1.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.19 SAR 4.46

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.52

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.05

$0.56 SAR 2.12

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$4.20 SAR 15.78

-31.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.49 SAR 5.59

26.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$2.23 SAR 8.39

-4.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 SAR 29.60

$7.51 SAR 28.19

4.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$0.90 SAR 3.37

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.78 SAR 146

$35.24 SAR 132

10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

$2.67 SAR 10.03

8.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-29.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.96 SAR 52.4

$13.43 SAR 50.4

3.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-1.67%

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

$42.1K SAR 158.2K

$66.9K SAR 251.2K

-37.01%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$20.9K SAR 78.4K

1.10%

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

$99.9 SAR 375

$126 SAR 472

-20.60%

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

$23.70 SAR 89.0

$33.14 SAR 124

-28.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 SAR 226

$62.7 SAR 235

-4.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.92 SAR 165

$76.1 SAR 286

-42.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 SAR 145

$27.76 SAR 104

39.01%

Cinema Ticket

$13.48 SAR 50.6

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-0.07%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$414 SAR 1,554

-16.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,243 SAR 23.4K

$7,996 SAR 30.0K

-21.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 SAR 189

$41.25 SAR 155

22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 SAR 229

$48.67 SAR 183

25.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SAR 358

$97.3 SAR 365

-2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 379

$91.8 SAR 345

10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 SAR 2,196

$566 SAR 2,126

3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,337

$376 SAR 1,410

-5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,415

$988 SAR 3,709

-61.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 SAR 2,133

$672 SAR 2,523

-15.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 SAR 9,909

$1,376 SAR 5,167

91.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 SAR 4,779

$597 SAR 2,240

113.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 SAR 6,536

$1,528 SAR 5,737

13.93%

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 Ar-rass: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Ar-rass and $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Ar-rass vs $37.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $199 per month, with Ar-rass 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

Ar-rass vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rass wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ar-rass the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Ar-rass, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Ar-rass 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 $1,096 per month in Ar-rass versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ar-rass runs roughly 10% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,096 in Ar-rass versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass 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, Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.