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: $1,174 in Ar-rass versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in Ar-rass versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,431 in Ar-rass versus $2,503 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Ar-rass costs roughly 3% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ar-rass 12% lower, Ad Dammam 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 SAR 24.71

$7.45 SAR 27.99

-11.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.89 SAR 165

$53.0 SAR 199

-17.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.79

$7.92 SAR 29.73

0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-5.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.87

$3.55 SAR 13.33

3.94%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.97

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$1.64 SAR 6.15

42.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.42 SAR 5.32

-25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.69

$2.12 SAR 7.96

-28.77%

Eggs

$3.62 SAR 13.58

$2.31 SAR 8.68

56.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.62

$5.99 SAR 22.48

13.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 SAR 27.79

$7.32 SAR 27.49

1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 SAR 49.34

$10.07 SAR 37.81

30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.09 SAR 7.85

4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.55 SAR 5.82

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.39 SAR 5.23

23.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$1.37 SAR 5.15

-7.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.29 SAR 4.86

-3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.55 SAR 2.08

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.40 SAR 9.03

$4.12 SAR 15.47

-41.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.61 SAR 6.05

6.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$1.99 SAR 7.47

6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 SAR 23.40

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.94 SAR 3.51

12.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$39.30 SAR 148

1.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-19.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-4.92%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

19.00%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

6.49%

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

$107 SAR 403

$118 SAR 444

-9.23%

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

$33.12 SAR 124

$38.60 SAR 145

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 SAR 273

$63.4 SAR 238

14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 SAR 169

$70.7 SAR 266

-36.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.22 SAR 132

$30.89 SAR 116

14.02%

Cinema Ticket

$15.83 SAR 59.5

$15.30 SAR 57.5

3.46%

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

$355 SAR 1,334

$427 SAR 1,602

-16.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,847 SAR 25.7K

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

-16.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.29 SAR 79.9

$68.0 SAR 255

-68.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 SAR 225

$67.8 SAR 255

-11.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 SAR 297

$90.5 SAR 340

-12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 SAR 312

$86.1 SAR 323

-3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,641

$452 SAR 1,697

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 SAR 1,450

$376 SAR 1,413

2.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$792 SAR 2,976

-51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$636 SAR 2,388

-3.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,580

$1,320 SAR 4,956

93.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,264 SAR 4,747

$812 SAR 3,051

55.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,700 SAR 6,383

$1,502 SAR 5,640

13.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.33

2.08%

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

Last update for Ar-rass: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Ar-rass and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Ar-rass vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $185, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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 3% 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 13% 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: $437 in Ar-rass versus $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,174 per month in Ar-rass versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ar-rass runs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,174 in Ar-rass versus $1,211 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 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.