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: $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,224 in Jeddah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Dammam versus $1,836 in Jeddah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $2,448 in Jeddah.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 1% less than in Jeddah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 10% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.28

$6.62 SAR 24.87

1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.67 SAR 153

$39.31 SAR 148

3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$8.06 SAR 30.26

-3.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$2.07 SAR 7.78

-12.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$2.07 SAR 7.76

-14.49%

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.67

$3.80 SAR 14.26

-4.21%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$0.69 SAR 2.61

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.23 SAR 0.86

30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$0.95 SAR 3.56

7.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.25 SAR 8.45

4.89%

Eggs

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.90

$7.23 SAR 27.16

-4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$7.85 SAR 29.49

-4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 SAR 47.85

$12.61 SAR 47.34

1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.10 SAR 7.88

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.59 SAR 5.97

6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.53 SAR 5.73

2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$1.21 SAR 4.55

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.06 SAR 3.97

29.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.54 SAR 2.04

7.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.99

$4.22 SAR 15.84

-30.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.97 SAR 7.41

-12.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$2.49 SAR 9.34

-16.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SAR 27.22

$6.86 SAR 25.75

5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.29 SAR 4.86

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 SAR 149

$39.47 SAR 148

0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$3.18 SAR 11.93

-14.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.15

$1.92 SAR 7.23

-0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.59 SAR 51.0

$14.97 SAR 56.2

-9.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.62 SAR 2.34

-3.23%

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

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

$26.8K SAR 100.7K

0.71%

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

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

7.66%

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

$106 SAR 399

$108 SAR 407

-1.82%

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

$33.85 SAR 127

$31.68 SAR 119

6.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 SAR 265

$69.7 SAR 262

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 SAR 358

$87.9 SAR 330

8.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 SAR 131

$45.28 SAR 170

-22.79%

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 SAR 54.1

$13.24 SAR 49.72

8.76%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$410 SAR 1,540

-13.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

$6,604 SAR 24.8K

16.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 SAR 209

$63.3 SAR 238

-11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 SAR 235

$59.1 SAR 222

6.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SAR 319

$92.6 SAR 348

-8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$82.9 SAR 311

-3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,613

$498 SAR 1,870

-13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 SAR 1,401

$383 SAR 1,437

-2.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 SAR 3,283

$903 SAR 3,389

-3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,372

$601 SAR 2,256

5.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 SAR 6,677

$1,623 SAR 6,095

9.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 SAR 4,154

$1,014 SAR 3,806

9.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,652 SAR 6,202

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Dammam and $498 in Jeddah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Dammam vs $39.00 in Jeddah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $196 per month, with Jeddah 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

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,810 in Dammam and $1,835 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: $430 in Dammam versus $498 in Jeddah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Dammam versus $1,224 in Jeddah – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,224 in Jeddah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Jeddah. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jeddah, 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 Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.