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: $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Dammam versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs are close between Dammam and Ad Dammam; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.28

$7.49 SAR 28.13

-10.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.67 SAR 153

$54.1 SAR 203

-24.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$7.78 SAR 29.22

0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-5.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.82 SAR 6.82

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.67

$3.60 SAR 13.51

1.11%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$0.89 SAR 3.34

-8.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.35 SAR 1.31

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-29.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.00 SAR 7.53

18.00%

Eggs

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$2.24 SAR 8.41

15.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.90

$6.01 SAR 22.58

14.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$7.22 SAR 27.12

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 SAR 47.85

$9.97 SAR 37.43

27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.17 SAR 8.16

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.50 SAR 5.62

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.41 SAR 5.28

11.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.22 SAR 4.59

0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-4.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.36 SAR 5.10

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.99

$4.19 SAR 15.72

-30.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.62 SAR 6.09

6.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$2.00 SAR 7.50

4.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SAR 27.22

$7.84 SAR 29.45

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.95 SAR 3.56

13.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 SAR 149

$40.76 SAR 153

-2.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$3.36 SAR 12.61

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.15

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-29.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.59 SAR 51.0

$13.53 SAR 50.8

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-1.64%

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

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

18.15%

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

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

$20.7K SAR 77.7K

10.86%

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

$106 SAR 399

$117 SAR 440

-9.26%

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

$33.85 SAR 127

$38.94 SAR 146

-13.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 SAR 265

$62.3 SAR 234

13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 SAR 358

$69.0 SAR 259

38.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 SAR 131

$30.82 SAR 116

13.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 SAR 54.1

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-4.32%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$414 SAR 1,553

-14.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-6.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 SAR 209

$69.0 SAR 259

-19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 SAR 235

$67.6 SAR 254

-7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SAR 319

$90.7 SAR 341

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$85.9 SAR 323

-6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,613

$445 SAR 1,670

-3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 SAR 1,401

$385 SAR 1,447

-3.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 SAR 3,283

$800 SAR 3,004

9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,372

$635 SAR 2,383

-0.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 SAR 6,677

$1,331 SAR 4,998

33.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 SAR 4,154

$804 SAR 3,020

37.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,075

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Dammam and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Dammam vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 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

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

You'd need roughly $1,810 in Dammam and $1,811 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: $430 in Dammam versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Ad Dammam pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes 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.

It comes down to priorities – Dammam wins on affordability, Ad Dammam on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.