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: $1,469 in Medina versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Medina versus $1,860 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,248 in Medina versus $2,524 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Medina is roughly 23% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 SAR 20.95

$7.29 SAR 27.37

-23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.14 SAR 121

$53.7 SAR 202

-40.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SAR 30.86

$8.03 SAR 30.16

2.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-13.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-6.32%

Cappuccino

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$3.73 SAR 14.00

-33.51%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$0.35 SAR 1.30

11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SAR 3.49

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-36.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.99

$2.09 SAR 7.86

14.35%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$6.12 SAR 22.97

10.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 SAR 26.23

$7.25 SAR 27.23

-3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 SAR 47.92

$9.70 SAR 36.42

31.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.12 SAR 7.95

16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$1.49 SAR 5.61

44.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$1.40 SAR 5.24

53.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.59 SAR 5.98

6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.28 SAR 4.82

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$1.32 SAR 4.97

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-24.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.26

$0.59 SAR 2.21

47.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$4.13 SAR 15.50

-67.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.56 SAR 5.85

11.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-15.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.94

$7.76 SAR 29.13

-4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.95 SAR 3.57

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.40 SAR 140

$39.54 SAR 148

-5.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$3.38 SAR 12.70

-59.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$2.62 SAR 9.86

-35.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-59.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.60 SAR 2.25

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

$20.9K SAR 78.5K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

-9.07%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

2.69%

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

$201 SAR 755

$115 SAR 432

74.83%

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

$32.18 SAR 121

$38.60 SAR 145

-16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$63.5 SAR 239

61.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 SAR 282

$70.5 SAR 265

6.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 SAR 33.77

$31.26 SAR 117

-71.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 SAR 50.1

$15.06 SAR 56.6

-11.35%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$415 SAR 1,558

-29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 SAR 27.6K

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

-9.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.82 SAR 138

$68.6 SAR 258

-46.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 SAR 198

$66.7 SAR 250

-20.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 SAR 254

$92.6 SAR 348

-26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$85.7 SAR 322

13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$447 SAR 1,677

-5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 SAR 2,138

$378 SAR 1,421

50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 SAR 2,668

$805 SAR 3,021

-11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,575

$626 SAR 2,350

-32.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,306 SAR 8,661

$1,353 SAR 5,082

70.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 SAR 5,123

$816 SAR 3,063

67.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 SAR 5,023

$1,510 SAR 5,669

-11.38%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Medina and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 13% 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 $201 vs $184, 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 23% 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, salaries run 13% lower in Ad Dammam. 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: $424 in Medina versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Medina versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 6% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,469 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 23% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.