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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $2,503 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 92% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Ad Dammam is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.43

$7.45 SAR 27.99

137.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.9

$53.0 SAR 199

31.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.37

$7.92 SAR 29.73

78.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.55 SAR 13.34

-21.13%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$0.92 SAR 3.44

205.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$0.38 SAR 1.42

442.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.07

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.42 SAR 5.32

42.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.12 SAR 7.96

-6.60%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$2.31 SAR 8.68

51.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.01

$5.99 SAR 22.48

206.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.59

$7.32 SAR 27.49

34.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.71

$10.07 SAR 37.81

89.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.09 SAR 7.85

30.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.55 SAR 5.82

53.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.39 SAR 5.23

49.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$1.65 SAR 6.20

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.28 SAR 4.79

53.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.37 SAR 5.15

30.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.29 SAR 4.86

14.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$0.55 SAR 2.08

65.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$0.94 SAR 3.51

220.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

$39.30 SAR 148

-25.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.81

$3.31 SAR 12.42

31.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-21.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

$13.58 SAR 51.0

117.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.61 SAR 2.29

198.36%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

70.48%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

55.26%

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

$189 €165

$118 SAR 444

59.72%

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

$22.29 €19.48

$38.60 SAR 145

-42.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.47

$63.4 SAR 238

-41.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.7

$70.7 SAR 266

-17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.05

$30.89 SAR 116

-33.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.50

$15.30 SAR 57.5

-28.95%

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

$706 €617

$427 SAR 1,602

65.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

80.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.2

$68.0 SAR 255

31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €31.98

$67.8 SAR 255

-46.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.9

$90.5 SAR 340

14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$86.1 SAR 323

38.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,379

$452 SAR 1,697

249.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,082

$376 SAR 1,413

229.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,370

$792 SAR 2,976

242.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,782

$636 SAR 2,388

220.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,576

$1,320 SAR 4,956

470.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,577

$812 SAR 3,051

544.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,065

$1,502 SAR 5,640

57.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.33

-21.71%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 57% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $185 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 92% 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 57% 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: $1,579 in Barcelona 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 $2,320 per month in Barcelona versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 34% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $2,320 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 $1,211 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 92% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.