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: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,804 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $2,551 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $3,298 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 8% below, Riyadh is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$7.76 SAR 29.13

-13.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$54.0 SAR 203

-26.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$7.95 SAR 29.85

-0.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.71 SAR 6.40

2.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-21.43%

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$4.00 SAR 15.02

-6.00%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$0.72 SAR 2.69

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-22.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.34 SAR 8.80

-2.99%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$8.65 SAR 32.48

-19.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$9.92 SAR 37.25

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$14.54 SAR 54.6

-9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.22 SAR 8.35

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.29 SAR 4.83

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-9.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.52 SAR 1.97

21.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

$7.79 SAR 29.25

-63.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-1.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$2.33 SAR 8.76

-10.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$7.44 SAR 27.92

-5.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.04 SAR 3.92

1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$37.69 SAR 142

7.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.12 SAR 11.73

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.63 SAR 2.36

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$34.2K SAR 128.3K

-21.62%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

0.12%

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

$103 SAR 386

$103 SAR 387

-0.13%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$34.69 SAR 130

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$75.5 SAR 283

-5.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$104 SAR 390

-8.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$58.0 SAR 218

-38.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$16.05 SAR 60.3

-8.85%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$465 SAR 1,744

-25.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$9,748 SAR 36.6K

-23.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$58.4 SAR 219

-6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$65.5 SAR 246

-2.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$109 SAR 409

-23.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$100 SAR 376

-19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$1,082 SAR 4,063

-58.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$835 SAR 3,133

-54.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$2,038 SAR 7,649

-56.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$1,091 SAR 4,097

-43.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$2,918 SAR 11.0K

-39.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$1,929 SAR 7,241

-43.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,119 SAR 7,954

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $1,082 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $2,707 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: $445 in Dammam versus $1,082 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Dammam versus $1,804 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 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,804 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.