Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Dammam: $1,226 a month against $1,759 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Athens, Greece
Dammam
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,226
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,759
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dammam and in Athens

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dammam and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Dammam versus $1,759 in Athens.

  • Dammam $1,226
  • Athens $1,759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Dammam versus $2,696 in Athens.

  • Dammam $1,857
  • Athens $2,696

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,488 in Dammam versus $3,632 in Athens.

  • Dammam $2,488
  • Athens $3,632

Living in Dammam costs roughly 30% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 10% below, Athens is 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.49 SAR 24.35
$17.05 €15.28
-61.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.23 SAR 147
$65.8 €59.0
-40.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.78 SAR 29.20
$10.96 €9.82
-29.01%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.83 SAR 6.87
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 SAR 6.68
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.71 SAR 13.94
$4.10 €3.68
-9.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 SAR 3.02
$2.83 €2.54
-71.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 SAR 1.04
$0.59 €0.53
-52.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.62 €5.04
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.67 €5.08
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 SAR 6.45
$1.90 €1.70
-9.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.04 SAR 3.91
$1.46 €1.31
-28.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 SAR 8.71
$2.71 €2.42
-14.39%
Eggs
$2.54 SAR 9.52
$5.04 €4.52
-49.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.79 SAR 25.47
$15.08 €13.51
-54.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.34 SAR 27.55
$10.28 €9.21
-28.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.93 SAR 48.50
$19.40 €17.38
-33.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.36 SAR 8.85
$2.12 €1.90
11.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 SAR 6.01
$1.91 €1.71
-16.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.62 SAR 6.10
$1.41 €1.26
14.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.63 SAR 6.11
$2.13 €1.91
-23.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.25 SAR 4.67
$1.04 €0.94
20.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 SAR 4.94
$1.13 €1.01
16.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 SAR 5.07
$1.13 €1.01
19.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 SAR 2.22
$0.81 €0.73
-27.16%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.84 SAR 10.65
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 SAR 6.51
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 SAR 7.62
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.26 SAR 27.22
$5.52 €4.94
31.52%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.99 €8.95
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.04 €1.83
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.28 €2.05
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dammam
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 SAR 3.90
$1.31 €1.18
-20.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.52 SAR 152
$30.67 €27.48
32.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.62 SAR 9.83
$4.37 €3.92
-40.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 SAR 7.09
$1.03 €0.92
83.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.55 SAR 50.8
$17.05 €15.28
-20.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 SAR 2.42
$2.34 €2.10
-72.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K SAR 101.8K
$28.3K €25.3K
-3.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K SAR 87.7K
$26.8K €24.0K
-12.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 SAR 395
$200 €179
-47.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.70 SAR 126
$25.17 €22.56
33.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.2 SAR 271
$29.65 €26.57
143.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$94.5 SAR 354
$50.4 €45.20
87.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.96 SAR 139
$25.94 €23.24
42.48%
Cinema Ticket
$14.61 SAR 54.8
$10.52 €9.43
38.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$346 SAR 1,299
$576 €516
-39.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,665 SAR 28.8K
$12.9K €11.6K
-40.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.1 SAR 210
$89.7 €80.4
-37.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.8 SAR 236
$39.57 €35.46
58.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.0 SAR 315
$105 €94.5
-20.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.3 SAR 305
$124 €111
-34.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dammam
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$440 SAR 1,652
$740 €663
-40.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$384 SAR 1,441
$643 €576
-40.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$889 SAR 3,336
$1,305 €1,169
-31.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 SAR 2,351
$1,121 €1,004
-44.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,788 SAR 6,707
$4,011 €3,595
-55.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,073 SAR 4,024
$3,284 €2,943
-67.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dammam
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,224 €1,097
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.42
4.48
-1.34%

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

Last update for Dammam: October 26, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dammam
$384
Athens
$643 67.4% $259
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dammam
$211
Athens
$255 20.6% $43
Groceries & Markets
Dammam
$198
Athens
$312 57.7% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Dammam
$128
Athens
$161 26.2% $33
Eating Out
Dammam
$124
Athens
$272 119% $147
Sport & Entertainment
Dammam
$124
Athens
$71 42.2% $52
Getting Around
Dammam
$57
Athens
$45 20% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Dammam and $740 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39 in Dammam vs $66 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $312 per month, with Dammam cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Dammam
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
03:10 3:10 AM
02:10 2:10 AM
1 h behind Dammam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
903,312
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.267 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dammam Athens 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dammam
  • Athens

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dammam or Athens?
Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dammam and in Athens?
You’d need roughly $1,839 in Dammam and $2,639 in Athens 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dammam compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $440 in Dammam versus $740 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Dammam and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Dammam – a meal for two runs $39 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Dammam compared to Athens?
All in, you’ll spend $1,226 per month in Dammam versus $1,759 in Athens – Dammam is about 30% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Dammam or in Athens?
At $1,226 in Dammam versus $1,759 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dammam or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Dammam delivers better value at $1,226 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dammam hard to pass up.

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