Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,215 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,866 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,516 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 104% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Ad Dammam is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$8.09 SAR 30.39

127.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$34.39 SAR 129

101.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$6.57 SAR 24.69

113.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$3.10 SAR 11.65

0.32%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.79 SAR 2.95

274.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.20 SAR 0.75

875.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-27.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.33 SAR 5.01

58.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-4.69%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.13 SAR 7.98

142.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$7.39 SAR 27.77

137.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$7.82 SAR 29.36

21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$12.72 SAR 47.79

56.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$2.18 SAR 8.17

45.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$1.63 SAR 6.11

35.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.59 SAR 5.96

64.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.62 SAR 6.09

75.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.07 SAR 4.02

102.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.20 SAR 4.52

75.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.28 SAR 4.80

26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.58 SAR 2.18

51.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.09 SAR 15.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$7.80 SAR 29.30

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$0.97 SAR 3.63

223.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

$35.89 SAR 135

-26.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$2.60 SAR 9.75

23.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-41.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$13.41 SAR 50.4

162.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.64 SAR 2.42

173.44%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$67.7K SAR 254.2K

-45.84%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

48.83%

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

$187 €161

$128 SAR 482

45.90%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$33.46 SAR 126

-54.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$62.1 SAR 233

-39.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$77.8 SAR 292

-28.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

$28.85 SAR 108

-41.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$13.40 SAR 50.3

-12.61%

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

$1,011 €871

$417 SAR 1,566

142.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$7,868 SAR 29.5K

116.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$41.40 SAR 155

120.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$49.15 SAR 185

-16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$95.8 SAR 360

15.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$90.5 SAR 340

39.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$567 SAR 2,128

200.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$369 SAR 1,388

251.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,007 SAR 3,781

157.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$663 SAR 2,490

190.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$1,379 SAR 5,179

460.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$595 SAR 2,235

804.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$1,532 SAR 5,754

54.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

5.9

-46.44%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $567 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $34.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $200 per month, with Ad 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

Barcelona vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 104% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $567 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $1,215 in Ad Dammam – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 37% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Ad Dammam versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,215 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Barcelona 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.