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: $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,734 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Dammam versus $2,582 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $3,429 in Riyadh.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 29% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 11% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-15.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 SAR 147

$64.8 SAR 243

-39.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.87

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-10.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-8.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-39.73%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-15.84%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$0.85 SAR 3.19

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.04

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-4.49%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-22.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$9.69 SAR 36.38

-30.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-26.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 SAR 48.85

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-14.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-8.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-15.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-30.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.73 SAR 6.51

-8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.20 SAR 4.50

2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-2.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-23.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.59 SAR 2.21

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-62.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-5.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-18.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 SAR 27.75

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-1.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.25 SAR 151

$37.56 SAR 141

7.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.08

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-18.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.89 SAR 7.09

1.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$13.13 SAR 49.32

2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

-27.17%

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

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

5.03%

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

$106 SAR 397

$97.0 SAR 364

9.08%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$32.37 SAR 122

2.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$68.6 SAR 258

2.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 SAR 359

$89.7 SAR 337

6.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.61 SAR 138

$54.9 SAR 206

-33.36%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 SAR 53.8

$13.29 SAR 49.89

7.67%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$533 SAR 2,000

-34.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-33.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 SAR 211

$58.9 SAR 221

-4.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 SAR 242

$56.1 SAR 211

14.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SAR 319

$106 SAR 398

-19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$104 SAR 392

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,646

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-62.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$830 SAR 3,117

-53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SAR 3,321

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-59.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,379

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-48.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 SAR 6,502

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-41.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 SAR 4,139

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-43.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.54

-20.22%

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

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Dammam and $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Dammam vs $65.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $240 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. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,840 in Dammam and $2,601 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: $438 in Dammam versus $1,174 in Riyadh. 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 $1,734 in Riyadh – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 7% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,734 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 41% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.