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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,184 in Buraydah versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Buraydah versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,797 in Buraydah versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Buraydah costs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Buraydah 12% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 SAR 46.59

$7.49 SAR 28.11

65.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 SAR 152

$54.1 SAR 203

-25.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 SAR 26.88

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-7.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-13.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.82 SAR 6.82

-20.88%

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.85

$3.60 SAR 13.51

2.50%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.95

$0.89 SAR 3.34

-11.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.35 SAR 1.31

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-25.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.00 SAR 7.52

25.50%

Eggs

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.24 SAR 8.41

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 SAR 32.00

$6.01 SAR 22.56

41.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 SAR 24.79

$7.22 SAR 27.11

-8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 SAR 51.4

$9.97 SAR 37.41

37.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.17 SAR 8.16

17.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.50 SAR 5.61

19.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.41 SAR 5.28

2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.60 SAR 6.01

3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.22 SAR 4.59

19.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.39 SAR 5.22

12.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 SAR 4.38

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-13.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$0.59 SAR 2.22

10.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 SAR 6.77

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-56.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-8.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.00 SAR 7.49

25.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$7.84 SAR 29.43

-16.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.95 SAR 3.56

14.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 SAR 152

$40.76 SAR 153

-0.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$3.36 SAR 12.60

-19.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.84 SAR 63.2

$13.53 SAR 50.8

24.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.28

6.56%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

15.78%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.0K

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

17.24%

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

$75.8 SAR 284

$117 SAR 440

-35.30%

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

$30.31 SAR 114

$38.94 SAR 146

-22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 SAR 261

$62.3 SAR 234

11.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 SAR 380

$69.0 SAR 259

46.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.15 SAR 136

$30.82 SAR 116

17.29%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 SAR 60.2

$15.05 SAR 56.5

6.58%

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

$267 SAR 1,002

$414 SAR 1,552

-35.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,775 SAR 14.2K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-53.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 SAR 196

$69.0 SAR 259

-24.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 SAR 271

$67.6 SAR 254

7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 SAR 309

$90.7 SAR 340

-9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 SAR 272

$85.9 SAR 322

-15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 SAR 2,368

$445 SAR 1,669

41.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,287

$385 SAR 1,446

-11.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 SAR 2,851

$800 SAR 3,002

-5.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 SAR 2,943

$635 SAR 2,382

23.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,360 SAR 8,854

$1,331 SAR 4,995

77.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 SAR 5,008

$804 SAR 3,019

65.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,829 SAR 10.6K

$1,884 SAR 7,071

50.12%

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 Buraydah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $631 in Buraydah and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Buraydah vs $54.0 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

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

Buraydah wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buraydah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Buraydah pays 50% more on average, 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: $631 in Buraydah versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,184 per month in Buraydah versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Buraydah runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,184 in Buraydah versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Buraydah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Buraydah 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, Buraydah 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 Buraydah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.