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: $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,215 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Dammam versus $1,866 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $2,516 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 11% lower, Ad Dammam 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$8.09 SAR 30.39

-18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 SAR 147

$34.39 SAR 129

14.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.87

$6.57 SAR 24.69

21.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-4.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-19.73%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$3.10 SAR 11.65

14.84%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$0.79 SAR 2.95

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.04

$0.20 SAR 0.75

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-9.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.33 SAR 5.01

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$1.92 SAR 7.21

21.87%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.13 SAR 7.98

15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$7.39 SAR 27.77

-8.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$7.82 SAR 29.36

-6.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 SAR 48.85

$12.72 SAR 47.79

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.18 SAR 8.17

9.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.63 SAR 6.11

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.59 SAR 5.96

3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-2.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.07 SAR 4.02

14.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.20 SAR 4.52

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.28 SAR 4.80

1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.58 SAR 2.18

1.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$4.09 SAR 15.37

-28.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.45 SAR 5.46

20.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-7.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 SAR 27.75

$7.80 SAR 29.30

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.97 SAR 3.63

11.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.25 SAR 151

$35.89 SAR 135

12.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.08

$2.60 SAR 9.75

3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$13.41 SAR 50.4

0.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-7.81%

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$67.7K SAR 254.2K

-61.40%

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

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

10.52%

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

$106 SAR 397

$128 SAR 482

-17.50%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$33.46 SAR 126

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$62.1 SAR 233

13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 SAR 359

$77.8 SAR 292

22.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.61 SAR 138

$28.85 SAR 108

26.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 SAR 53.8

$13.40 SAR 50.3

6.79%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$417 SAR 1,566

-16.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

$7,868 SAR 29.5K

-4.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 SAR 211

$41.40 SAR 155

35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 SAR 242

$49.15 SAR 185

31.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SAR 319

$95.8 SAR 360

-11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$90.5 SAR 340

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,646

$567 SAR 2,128

-22.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$369 SAR 1,388

3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SAR 3,321

$1,007 SAR 3,781

-12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,379

$663 SAR 2,490

-4.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 SAR 6,502

$1,379 SAR 5,179

25.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 SAR 4,139

$595 SAR 2,235

85.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,532 SAR 5,754

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.9

-25.08%

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

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Dammam and $567 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Dammam vs $34.00 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $200, with 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 $1,840 in Dammam and $1,823 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: $438 in Dammam versus $567 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Dammam versus $1,215 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 12% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Ad Dammam versus $1,227 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 $1,215 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.