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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,223 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $1,882 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $2,541 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 8% lower, Ad Dammam 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$7.26 SAR 27.24

-7.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$52.8 SAR 198

-24.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$8.01 SAR 30.08

-1.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-4.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$3.67 SAR 13.79

2.45%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$0.84 SAR 3.15

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.40 SAR 5.26

-27.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.07 SAR 7.78

9.66%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.30 SAR 8.63

10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$6.04 SAR 22.69

14.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$7.32 SAR 27.48

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$10.05 SAR 37.73

30.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.20 SAR 8.27

6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.55 SAR 5.83

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.43 SAR 5.37

14.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.65 SAR 6.21

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.35 SAR 5.07

1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-2.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.55 SAR 2.06

14.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

$4.04 SAR 15.18

-28.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.56 SAR 5.87

10.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.94 SAR 7.27

7.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$7.82 SAR 29.37

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.95 SAR 3.58

11.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$39.54 SAR 148

2.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.38 SAR 12.69

-23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$2.66 SAR 9.98

-30.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$13.15 SAR 49.38

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-3.08%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$22.3K SAR 83.6K

20.33%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$20.7K SAR 77.8K

12.99%

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

$103 SAR 386

$115 SAR 432

-10.58%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$38.74 SAR 145

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$63.3 SAR 238

12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$70.3 SAR 264

35.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$30.82 SAR 116

15.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$15.11 SAR 56.7

-3.18%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$415 SAR 1,557

-16.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$8,335 SAR 31.3K

-10.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$68.3 SAR 257

-19.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$66.9 SAR 251

-4.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$92.9 SAR 349

-9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$86.0 SAR 323

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$441 SAR 1,654

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$374 SAR 1,405

1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$781 SAR 2,933

12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$639 SAR 2,399

-3.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$1,304 SAR 4,896

35.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$800 SAR 3,002

36.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,527 SAR 5,733

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 Dammam: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $441 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $186, 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $1,835 in Ad Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Dammam versus $441 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Dammam versus $1,223 in Ad Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 3% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Ad Dammam versus $1,233 in Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Dammam. 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 $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Dammam 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 1% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.