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: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,206 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $1,886 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $2,565 in Ad Dammam.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 9% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$7.36 SAR 27.62

-9.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$54.1 SAR 203

-26.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$7.76 SAR 29.08

3.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-7.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.83 SAR 6.87

1.09%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$3.57 SAR 13.39

-0.28%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$0.90 SAR 3.39

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.34 SAR 1.29

-11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.70 SAR 6.39

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-31.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.08 SAR 7.81

13.94%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.28 SAR 8.53

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$6.01 SAR 22.55

11.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$7.43 SAR 27.86

1.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$9.65 SAR 36.19

32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.12 SAR 7.96

7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.54 SAR 5.79

7.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.45 SAR 5.44

9.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.59 SAR 5.97

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.58 SAR 2.18

8.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

$4.26 SAR 15.96

-31.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.55 SAR 5.82

15.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

$1.95 SAR 7.31

3.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$8.19 SAR 30.71

-12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.94 SAR 3.54

17.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$39.77 SAR 149

-0.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$3.39 SAR 12.73

-19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.69 SAR 10.07

-28.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$13.09 SAR 49.07

2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-1.54%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$22.8K SAR 85.3K

15.10%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

9.58%

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

$106 SAR 397

$117 SAR 440

-9.73%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$38.77 SAR 145

-14.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$63.6 SAR 238

10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$70.4 SAR 264

36.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$30.59 SAR 115

18.60%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$15.53 SAR 58.2

-4.31%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$415 SAR 1,556

-16.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$8,100 SAR 30.4K

-8.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$66.6 SAR 250

-15.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$67.1 SAR 252

-4.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$93.0 SAR 349

-9.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$85.7 SAR 321

-4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$443 SAR 1,661

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$381 SAR 1,427

0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$789 SAR 2,959

11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$636 SAR 2,385

-0.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$899 SAR 3,370

97.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$758 SAR 2,843

45.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,009 SAR 7,532

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $443 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $54 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 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 $1,823 in Dammam and $1,810 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: $428 in Dammam versus $443 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Dammam versus $1,206 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 0% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,206 in Ad Dammam versus $1,215 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 $1,206 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.