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: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,212 in Jeddah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $1,870 in Jeddah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $2,528 in Jeddah.

Living in Dammam is roughly 2% more expensive than in Jeddah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 8% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$39.77 SAR 149

-0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$7.84 SAR 29.42

1.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$2.12 SAR 7.94

-16.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.15 SAR 8.05

-18.14%

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$3.79 SAR 14.23

-0.79%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$0.72 SAR 2.70

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.25 SAR 0.94

12.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$0.89 SAR 3.35

13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.30 SAR 8.64

-1.30%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$7.39 SAR 27.72

-6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$7.73 SAR 29.00

-3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$12.47 SAR 46.81

5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.09 SAR 7.86

11.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.65 SAR 6.18

2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.55 SAR 5.81

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.59 SAR 5.98

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.20 SAR 4.51

14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.05 SAR 3.95

27.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.56 SAR 2.10

12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

$4.13 SAR 15.51

-30.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-11.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-16.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$6.51 SAR 24.45

7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-19.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$39.42 SAR 148

2.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-20.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$15.39 SAR 57.8

-14.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.58 SAR 2.18

8.62%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

0.71%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

8.97%

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

$103 SAR 386

$105 SAR 393

-1.84%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$32.21 SAR 121

5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$68.4 SAR 257

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$90.0 SAR 338

5.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$45.39 SAR 170

-21.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$13.06 SAR 49.03

12.02%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$411 SAR 1,543

-15.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$6,451 SAR 24.2K

15.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$64.8 SAR 243

-15.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$58.0 SAR 218

10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$95.3 SAR 358

-12.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$82.7 SAR 310

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$506 SAR 1,899

-12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$384 SAR 1,440

-0.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$922 SAR 3,460

-4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$617 SAR 2,315

-0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$1,633 SAR 6,128

8.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$1,020 SAR 3,828

7.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 SAR 6,155

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $506 in Jeddah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $40.00 in Jeddah. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $195, with Jeddah 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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $1,818 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: $445 in Dammam versus $506 in Jeddah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Dammam versus $1,212 in Jeddah – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jeddah runs roughly 3% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,212 in Jeddah versus $1,233 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 2% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.