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: $1,198 in Jeddah versus $1,215 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,845 in Jeddah versus $1,840 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,492 in Jeddah versus $2,465 in Dammam.

Living in Jeddah costs roughly 1% less than in Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeddah 11% lower, Dammam 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.26

$6.68 SAR 25.04

-3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.18 SAR 151

$39.64 SAR 149

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 SAR 29.40

$8.01 SAR 30.05

-2.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$1.78 SAR 6.68

21.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.75

$1.85 SAR 6.93

11.89%

Cappuccino

$3.62 SAR 13.58

$3.56 SAR 13.36

1.69%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.81 SAR 3.03

-6.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.30 SAR 1.14

-23.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.71 SAR 6.40

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$1.00 SAR 3.76

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.51 SAR 9.41

4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 SAR 27.47

$6.73 SAR 25.24

8.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 SAR 29.37

$7.53 SAR 28.26

3.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 SAR 46.99

$12.78 SAR 47.94

-1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.28 SAR 8.54

-3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.59 SAR 5.95

1.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.98

$1.56 SAR 5.84

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.23 SAR 4.60

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.52

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.15

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-14.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-7.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.30

$2.90 SAR 10.89

40.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.40

$1.79 SAR 6.71

10.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.01 SAR 7.52

19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.43

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.10 SAR 4.11

19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.10 SAR 150

$39.58 SAR 148

1.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.15

$2.73 SAR 10.23

18.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.92 SAR 7.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 SAR 56.3

$13.42 SAR 50.3

11.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-1.56%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

1.50%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

-5.32%

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

$105 SAR 394

$106 SAR 397

-0.62%

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

$31.66 SAR 119

$33.23 SAR 125

-4.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 SAR 258

$70.5 SAR 264

-2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$96.3 SAR 361

-8.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.75 SAR 168

$36.28 SAR 136

23.35%

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 SAR 49.76

$14.86 SAR 55.7

-10.70%

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

$406 SAR 1,523

$346 SAR 1,298

17.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,555 SAR 24.6K

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

-11.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 SAR 236

$56.4 SAR 212

11.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 SAR 214

$63.9 SAR 240

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 SAR 359

$84.5 SAR 317

13.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 SAR 315

$81.8 SAR 307

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 SAR 1,838

$428 SAR 1,606

14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,440

$382 SAR 1,434

0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 SAR 3,405

$877 SAR 3,288

3.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 SAR 2,288

$633 SAR 2,374

-3.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,598 SAR 5,993

$1,776 SAR 6,661

-10.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 SAR 3,781

$1,107 SAR 4,150

-8.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,060 SAR 7,727

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Jeddah and $428 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Jeddah vs $40 in Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $197, with Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Jeddah is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,797 in Jeddah and $1,823 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: $490 in Jeddah versus $428 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,198 per month in Jeddah versus $1,215 in Dammam – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,198 in Jeddah versus $1,215 in Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jeddah but tight or insufficient in Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Jeddah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jeddah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dammam, 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 Jeddah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.