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: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,770 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $2,504 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $3,239 in Riyadh.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 31% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 9% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$8.12 SAR 30.46

-17.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$53.0 SAR 199

-25.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$8.11 SAR 30.43

-1.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.77 SAR 6.64

0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.24 SAR 8.39

-17.41%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$4.15 SAR 15.56

-14.22%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$0.76 SAR 2.85

6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.29 SAR 1.07

3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.63 SAR 6.09

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.45 SAR 9.19

-3.27%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$8.65 SAR 32.44

-22.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$10.17 SAR 38.13

-25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$14.72 SAR 55.2

-13.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.26 SAR 8.46

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.80 SAR 6.74

-11.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.53 SAR 5.75

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.52 SAR 5.69

-13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.38 SAR 5.18

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.56 SAR 2.10

12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

$8.15 SAR 30.57

-64.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.74 SAR 6.51

2.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$7.23 SAR 27.12

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$1.09 SAR 4.07

0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$37.73 SAR 141

4.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$3.25 SAR 12.20

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.90 SAR 7.13

1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$13.50 SAR 50.6

-0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.59 SAR 2.22

8.47%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-23.25%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$23.6K SAR 88.4K

-1.88%

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

$106 SAR 397

$106 SAR 398

-0.37%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$35.49 SAR 133

-6.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$75.5 SAR 283

-6.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$108 SAR 404

-10.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$58.7 SAR 220

-38.20%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$15.69 SAR 58.8

-5.29%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$449 SAR 1,685

-23.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$9,572 SAR 35.9K

-22.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$58.5 SAR 219

-3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$63.8 SAR 239

0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$108 SAR 405

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$98.5 SAR 369

-16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$1,098 SAR 4,118

-60.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$855 SAR 3,206

-55.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$2,070 SAR 7,762

-57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$1,132 SAR 4,246

-44.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$2,925 SAR 11.0K

-39.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$1,910 SAR 7,163

-42.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 SAR 8,947

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $1,098 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $53 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $226 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, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Dammam and $2,654 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: $428 in Dammam versus $1,098 in Riyadh. 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 $1,770 in Riyadh – a 46% 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 $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,770 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 46% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.