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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,872 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,533 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 10% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$7.31 SAR 27.42

85.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$53.6 SAR 201

27.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.98 SAR 29.94

0.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$3.70 SAR 13.89

-8.11%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$0.92 SAR 3.43

152.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$0.35 SAR 1.30

580.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.71 SAR 6.43

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$2.09 SAR 7.85

-7.66%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.24 SAR 8.42

58.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$6.06 SAR 22.73

52.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.15 SAR 26.85

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$9.62 SAR 36.12

27.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$2.11 SAR 7.93

-36.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.50 SAR 5.62

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.38 SAR 5.20

27.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.66 SAR 6.24

44.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-27.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-31.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.55 SAR 2.07

65.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-19.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.89 SAR 3.36

30.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$40.16 SAR 151

-51.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-78.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$2.65 SAR 9.96

-76.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-47.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$0.64 SAR 2.42

167.19%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

25.64%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

42.51%

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

$178 RON 803

$117 SAR 438

52.34%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$38.34 SAR 144

-76.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$63.5 SAR 238

-82.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$70.9 SAR 266

-22.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$30.51 SAR 114

-4.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$15.54 SAR 58.3

-40.35%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$415 SAR 1,559

63.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

81.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$66.9 SAR 251

19.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$68.2 SAR 256

-33.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$90.8 SAR 341

-1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$85.5 SAR 321

27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$447 SAR 1,678

48.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$375 SAR 1,408

15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$800 SAR 3,002

69.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$641 SAR 2,407

31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,309 SAR 4,914

194.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$805 SAR 3,020

186.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$1,895 SAR 7,110

-22.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.33

63.97%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $184 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Bucharest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ad Dammam earns 29% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 106% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. 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 $1,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bucharest 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 10% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.