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: $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,367 in Jeddah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Dammam versus $2,104 in Jeddah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $2,842 in Jeddah.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 10% less than in Jeddah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 11% lower, Jeddah 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$6.65 SAR 24.97

-0.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 SAR 147

$53.3 SAR 200

-26.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.87

$8.34 SAR 31.31

-4.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.51 SAR 9.44

-27.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$2.67 SAR 10.03

-32.96%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$3.54 SAR 13.31

0.56%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.01 SAR 3.78

-20.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.04

$0.24 SAR 0.89

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.23 SAR 8.36

4.93%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.39 SAR 8.98

2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$6.59 SAR 24.76

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$8.03 SAR 30.17

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 SAR 48.85

$12.92 SAR 48.51

0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.13 SAR 8.00

12.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.52 SAR 5.71

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.63 SAR 6.12

-3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.17 SAR 4.39

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.35 SAR 5.06

2.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.09 SAR 4.09

19.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.54 SAR 2.01

9.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$4.18 SAR 15.68

-29.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-5.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-19.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 SAR 27.75

$6.64 SAR 24.94

11.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.14 SAR 4.27

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.25 SAR 151

$55.4 SAR 208

-27.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.08

$3.21 SAR 12.06

-16.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.76 SAR 6.61

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$13.94 SAR 52.4

-3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-1.67%

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$48.1K SAR 180.7K

-45.69%

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

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

7.59%

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

$106 SAR 397

$100 SAR 377

5.33%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$37.60 SAR 141

-11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$66.3 SAR 249

6.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 SAR 359

$88.3 SAR 331

8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.61 SAR 138

$40.96 SAR 154

-10.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 SAR 53.8

$12.01 SAR 45.11

19.15%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$720 SAR 2,703

-51.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

$15.8K SAR 59.2K

-52.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 SAR 211

$69.0 SAR 259

-18.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 SAR 242

$58.9 SAR 221

9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SAR 319

$98.3 SAR 369

-13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$96.8 SAR 364

-15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,646

$769 SAR 2,886

-42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$523 SAR 1,965

-26.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SAR 3,321

$1,342 SAR 5,041

-34.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,379

$854 SAR 3,207

-25.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 SAR 6,502

$1,732 SAR 6,504

-0.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 SAR 4,139

$1,131 SAR 4,247

-2.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 SAR 6,090

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.39

-18.00%

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

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Dammam and $769 in Jeddah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Dammam vs $53.0 in Jeddah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $199 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

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,840 in Dammam and $2,050 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: $438 in Dammam versus $769 in Jeddah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Dammam versus $1,367 in Jeddah – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 38% less than in Jeddah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,367 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 11% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.