Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,224 in Jeddah versus $1,207 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,836 in Jeddah versus $1,868 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,448 in Jeddah versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Jeddah is roughly 1% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeddah 9% lower, Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.87

$6.73 SAR 25.28

-1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 SAR 148

$40.67 SAR 153

-3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 SAR 30.26

$7.79 SAR 29.26

3.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.78

$1.81 SAR 6.81

14.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

$1.77 SAR 6.64

16.95%

Cappuccino

$3.80 SAR 14.26

$3.64 SAR 13.67

4.40%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.61

$0.81 SAR 3.05

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.30 SAR 1.14

-23.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.64 SAR 6.15

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.02 SAR 3.82

-6.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-4.66%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.59 SAR 9.74

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 SAR 27.16

$6.90 SAR 25.90

4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 SAR 29.49

$7.53 SAR 28.26

4.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.34

$12.74 SAR 47.85

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.23 SAR 4.61

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.55

$1.33 SAR 5.01

-9.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-22.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.22 SAR 15.84

$2.93 SAR 10.99

44.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

$1.72 SAR 6.44

14.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.34

$2.09 SAR 7.84

19.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 SAR 25.75

$7.25 SAR 27.22

-5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.08 SAR 4.06

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.47 SAR 148

$39.81 SAR 149

-0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.93

$2.73 SAR 10.27

16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

$1.91 SAR 7.15

0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 SAR 56.2

$13.59 SAR 51.0

10.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$0.60 SAR 2.24

3.33%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.7K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

-0.71%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

-7.12%

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

$108 SAR 407

$106 SAR 399

1.85%

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

$31.68 SAR 119

$33.85 SAR 127

-6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 SAR 262

$70.6 SAR 265

-1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 SAR 330

$95.4 SAR 358

-7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.28 SAR 170

$34.96 SAR 131

29.52%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 SAR 49.72

$14.40 SAR 54.1

-8.06%

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

$410 SAR 1,540

$355 SAR 1,332

15.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,604 SAR 24.8K

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

-13.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 SAR 238

$55.8 SAR 209

13.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 SAR 222

$62.7 SAR 235

-5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 348

$85.0 SAR 319

9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 SAR 311

$80.3 SAR 301

3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,870

$430 SAR 1,613

15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,437

$373 SAR 1,401

2.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 SAR 3,389

$874 SAR 3,283

3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$632 SAR 2,372

-4.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,623 SAR 6,095

$1,778 SAR 6,677

-8.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,806

$1,106 SAR 4,154

-8.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,652 SAR 6,202

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.42

1.81%

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

Last update for Jeddah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Jeddah and $430 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Jeddah vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $198 per month, with Jeddah 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

Jeddah vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,835 in Jeddah and $1,810 in Dammam 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: $498 in Jeddah versus $430 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,224 per month in Jeddah versus $1,207 in Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 1% less than in Jeddah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,224 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, Jeddah and Dammam 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 1% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.