Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,457 in Medina versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,845 in Medina versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,232 in Medina versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Medina is roughly 21% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medina is 8% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$7.49 SAR 28.11

-27.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.16 SAR 121

$54.1 SAR 203

-40.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.60

$7.78 SAR 29.21

1.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-17.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.82 SAR 6.82

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$2.43 SAR 9.12

$3.60 SAR 13.51

-32.50%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.89 SAR 3.34

-14.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.44

$0.35 SAR 1.31

11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-37.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$2.00 SAR 7.52

14.50%

Eggs

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-8.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 SAR 24.45

$6.01 SAR 22.56

8.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$7.22 SAR 27.11

1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.04

$9.97 SAR 37.41

28.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.17 SAR 8.16

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.50 SAR 5.61

42.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.41 SAR 5.28

51.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.60 SAR 6.01

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.22 SAR 4.59

11.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

$1.39 SAR 5.22

3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-27.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.59 SAR 2.22

42.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-67.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.62 SAR 6.08

7.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.00 SAR 7.49

-18.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.56 SAR 28.37

$7.84 SAR 29.43

-3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.95 SAR 3.56

14.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.91 SAR 142

$40.76 SAR 153

-6.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$3.36 SAR 12.60

-61.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-36.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-59.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.61 SAR 2.28

4.92%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

-7.51%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

3.52%

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

$201 SAR 755

$117 SAR 440

71.65%

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

$32.95 SAR 124

$38.94 SAR 146

-15.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SAR 382

$62.3 SAR 234

63.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 291

$69.0 SAR 259

12.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 SAR 33.59

$30.82 SAR 116

-70.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-9.90%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$414 SAR 1,552

-30.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,365 SAR 27.6K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-9.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 SAR 139

$69.0 SAR 259

-46.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$67.6 SAR 254

-22.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 SAR 253

$90.7 SAR 340

-25.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 SAR 362

$85.9 SAR 322

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,627

$445 SAR 1,669

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 SAR 2,114

$385 SAR 1,446

46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 SAR 2,723

$800 SAR 3,002

-9.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 SAR 1,569

$635 SAR 2,382

-34.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 SAR 8,553

$1,331 SAR 4,995

71.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 SAR 5,013

$804 SAR 3,019

66.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,321 SAR 4,957

$1,884 SAR 7,071

-29.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-30.72%

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

Last update for Medina: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Medina and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Medina vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $185, with Ad 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

Medina vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Medina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ad Dammam earns 43% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $434 in Medina versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,457 per month in Medina versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 8% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,457 in Medina, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Medina. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medina and Ad 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.