Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,198 in Jeddah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $1,845 in Jeddah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $2,492 in Jeddah.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 9% lower, Jeddah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$6.47 SAR 24.26

3.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$40.18 SAR 151

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$7.84 SAR 29.40

2.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-17.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.07 SAR 7.75

-10.63%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$3.62 SAR 13.58

-1.66%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$0.76 SAR 2.86

6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.23 SAR 0.86

30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$0.95 SAR 3.58

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.33 SAR 8.75

1.72%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$7.33 SAR 27.47

-8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$7.83 SAR 29.37

-3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$12.53 SAR 46.99

2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.19 SAR 8.23

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.64 SAR 6.14

1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.61 SAR 6.05

-1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.60 SAR 5.98

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.21 SAR 4.52

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.11 SAR 4.15

17.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.58 SAR 2.19

8.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

$4.08 SAR 15.30

-28.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.97 SAR 7.40

-9.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$6.51 SAR 24.43

9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$1.31 SAR 4.90

-16.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$40.10 SAR 150

-1.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$3.24 SAR 12.15

-15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.92 SAR 7.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$15.02 SAR 56.3

-10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.63 SAR 2.35

1.59%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

-1.48%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

5.62%

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

$106 SAR 397

$105 SAR 394

0.63%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$31.66 SAR 119

4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$68.8 SAR 258

2.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$88.0 SAR 330

9.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$44.75 SAR 168

-18.93%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$13.27 SAR 49.76

11.98%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$406 SAR 1,523

-14.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$6,555 SAR 24.6K

13.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$63.0 SAR 236

-10.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$57.0 SAR 214

12.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$95.6 SAR 359

-11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$83.9 SAR 315

-2.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$490 SAR 1,838

-12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$384 SAR 1,440

-0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$908 SAR 3,405

-3.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$610 SAR 2,288

3.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$1,598 SAR 5,993

11.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$1,008 SAR 3,781

9.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,060 SAR 7,727

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.5

-1.78%

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

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $490 in Jeddah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $40 in Jeddah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $198 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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Dammam and $1,797 in Jeddah 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 $490 in Jeddah. 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 $1,198 in Jeddah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jeddah runs roughly 1% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Jeddah versus $1,215 in Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jeddah but tight or insufficient in Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Jeddah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jeddah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dammam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dammam and Jeddah 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 Jeddah 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.