Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,355 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $2,119 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $2,883 in Al Khobar.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 9% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 8% below, Al Khobar is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$6.56 SAR 24.61

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$54.3 SAR 204

-26.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$7.93 SAR 29.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.99 SAR 7.47

-11.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-35.06%

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-10.26%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$0.97 SAR 3.64

-16.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.48 SAR 1.79

-41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.39 SAR 5.20

-27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.28 SAR 8.57

-0.44%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.93 SAR 10.99

-12.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$6.77 SAR 25.42

2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$9.27 SAR 34.80

-19.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$12.73 SAR 47.80

2.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.44 SAR 9.16

-4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.79 SAR 6.73

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$2.20 SAR 8.28

-25.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.47 SAR 5.52

-15.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-16.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-20.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.62 SAR 2.34

1.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

$2.70 SAR 10.12

6.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.40 SAR 5.26

22.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.97 SAR 7.41

5.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$6.47 SAR 24.27

8.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.91 SAR 3.41

16.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$60.3 SAR 226

-32.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$2.24 SAR 8.43

16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.36 SAR 5.09

36.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$6.76 SAR 25.37

94.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

24.87%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

0.04%

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

$103 SAR 386

$123 SAR 460

-16.07%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$34.44 SAR 129

-0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$82.1 SAR 308

-13.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$107 SAR 400

-10.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$36.29 SAR 136

-1.52%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$17.20 SAR 64.6

-14.94%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$308 SAR 1,156

12.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$7,694 SAR 28.9K

-3.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$62.8 SAR 236

-12.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$70.4 SAR 264

-9.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$98.0 SAR 368

-14.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$80.6 SAR 303

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$440 SAR 1,652

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$405 SAR 1,521

-6.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$1,027 SAR 3,857

-14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$784 SAR 2,942

-21.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$2,413 SAR 9,058

-26.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$1,465 SAR 5,500

-25.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,820 SAR 6,833

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $440 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $219 per month, with Dammam cheaper across the board.

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 Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $2,033 in Al Khobar 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 $440 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 49% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $347 in Dammam versus $308 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,355 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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 $1,233 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Dammam and Al Khobar 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 Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.