Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Dammam and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,776 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Dammam versus $2,477 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $3,177 in Riyadh.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 32% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 10% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.28

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.67 SAR 153

$52.5 SAR 197

-22.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$8.07 SAR 30.31

-3.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.70 SAR 6.40

6.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$2.25 SAR 8.43

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.67

$4.01 SAR 15.05

-9.23%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$0.70 SAR 2.64

15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.29 SAR 1.08

3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.63 SAR 6.12

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$1.30 SAR 4.89

-21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-2.88%

Eggs

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$2.66 SAR 9.97

-2.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.90

$8.60 SAR 32.29

-19.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$10.00 SAR 37.55

-24.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 SAR 47.85

$14.60 SAR 54.8

-12.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.55 SAR 5.82

1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.24 SAR 4.64

-0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-8.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-6.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.55 SAR 2.07

5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.99

$7.76 SAR 29.12

-62.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-1.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$2.31 SAR 8.66

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SAR 27.22

$7.13 SAR 26.76

1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 SAR 149

$38.03 SAR 143

4.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$3.24 SAR 12.17

-15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.15

$1.83 SAR 6.87

4.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.59 SAR 51.0

$13.56 SAR 50.9

0.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-4.76%

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

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-23.05%

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

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-0.14%

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

$106 SAR 399

$103 SAR 385

3.65%

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

$33.85 SAR 127

$34.54 SAR 130

-2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 SAR 265

$75.3 SAR 283

-6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 SAR 358

$105 SAR 396

-9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 SAR 131

$58.2 SAR 219

-39.93%

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 SAR 54.1

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-8.80%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$459 SAR 1,724

-22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

-18.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 SAR 209

$60.2 SAR 226

-7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 SAR 235

$64.2 SAR 241

-2.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SAR 319

$106 SAR 400

-20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$100 SAR 377

-19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,613

$1,083 SAR 4,065

-60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 SAR 1,401

$849 SAR 3,187

-56.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 SAR 3,283

$2,040 SAR 7,658

-57.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,372

$1,126 SAR 4,229

-43.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 SAR 6,677

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

-43.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 SAR 4,154

$1,962 SAR 7,366

-43.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,495

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Dammam and $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Dammam vs $52.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $225 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,810 in Dammam and $2,665 in Riyadh 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 $1,083 in Riyadh. 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 $1,776 in Riyadh – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 5% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,776 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. 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 Riyadh, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dammam and Riyadh 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 47% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.