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: $1,367 in Jeddah versus $1,227 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Jeddah versus $1,878 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,842 in Jeddah versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Jeddah is roughly 11% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeddah 1% lower, Dammam 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.97

$6.59 SAR 24.74

0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 SAR 200

$39.22 SAR 147

35.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 SAR 31.31

$7.95 SAR 29.87

4.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$1.82 SAR 6.82

37.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$1.79 SAR 6.71

49.16%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.31

$3.56 SAR 13.36

-0.56%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$0.80 SAR 3.00

26.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.28 SAR 1.04

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.64 SAR 6.16

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.05 SAR 3.95

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-4.70%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-2.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$6.75 SAR 25.33

-2.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.17

$7.30 SAR 27.41

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 SAR 48.51

$13.01 SAR 48.85

-0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-10.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.64 SAR 6.16

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.58 SAR 5.92

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.39 SAR 5.21

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-16.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.01

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.68

$2.94 SAR 11.04

42.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.75 SAR 6.57

5.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$2.01 SAR 7.53

23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 SAR 24.94

$7.39 SAR 27.75

-10.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.08 SAR 4.06

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 SAR 208

$40.25 SAR 151

37.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 SAR 12.06

$2.68 SAR 10.08

19.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.94 SAR 52.4

$13.44 SAR 50.5

3.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

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

$48.1K SAR 180.7K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

84.14%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

-7.05%

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

$100 SAR 377

$106 SAR 397

-5.06%

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

$37.60 SAR 141

$33.13 SAR 124

13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 SAR 249

$70.4 SAR 264

-5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 SAR 331

$95.6 SAR 359

-7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.96 SAR 154

$36.61 SAR 138

11.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 SAR 45.11

$14.31 SAR 53.8

-16.07%

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

$720 SAR 2,703

$349 SAR 1,310

106.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K SAR 59.2K

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

109.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$56.2 SAR 211

22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 SAR 221

$64.5 SAR 242

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SAR 369

$85.1 SAR 319

15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 SAR 364

$82.0 SAR 308

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 SAR 2,886

$438 SAR 1,646

75.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,965

$384 SAR 1,441

36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SAR 5,041

$884 SAR 3,321

51.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 SAR 3,207

$633 SAR 2,379

34.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 SAR 6,504

$1,731 SAR 6,502

0.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 SAR 4,247

$1,102 SAR 4,139

2.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 SAR 6,090

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

4.42

21.95%

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

Last update for Jeddah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $769 in Jeddah and $438 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Jeddah vs $39.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $197 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

Jeddah vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,050 in Jeddah and $1,840 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: $769 in Jeddah versus $438 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,367 per month in Jeddah versus $1,227 in Dammam – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 38% less than in Jeddah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,367 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 11% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.