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: $1,364 in Medina versus $1,205 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in Medina versus $1,828 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Medina versus $2,450 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Medina is roughly 13% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medina is 0% above, Ad Dammam is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 SAR 21.04

$7.90 SAR 29.66

-29.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.12 SAR 121

$35.27 SAR 132

-8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 SAR 30.41

$6.78 SAR 25.48

19.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$1.92 SAR 7.23

-19.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.22 SAR 8.33

-20.72%

Cappuccino

$2.61 SAR 9.80

$2.98 SAR 11.18

-12.42%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.81

$0.77 SAR 2.90

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.20 SAR 0.77

15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SAR 3.50

$1.27 SAR 4.78

-26.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.87 SAR 7.02

23.53%

Eggs

$2.01 SAR 7.55

$2.18 SAR 8.19

-7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 SAR 19.55

$7.26 SAR 27.26

-28.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 SAR 26.77

$7.74 SAR 29.06

-7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 SAR 47.77

$12.95 SAR 48.63

-1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.19 SAR 8.23

10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.66 SAR 6.24

18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.91

$1.58 SAR 5.92

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.56 SAR 5.84

-4.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.11 SAR 4.18

27.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.16 SAR 4.37

16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 SAR 3.47

$1.27 SAR 4.75

-27.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 SAR 2.67

$0.58 SAR 2.19

22.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$4.20 SAR 15.77

-68.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.52 SAR 5.70

-2.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$2.21 SAR 8.31

-28.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$7.58 SAR 28.45

-1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.98 SAR 3.69

8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.52 SAR 141

$35.71 SAR 134

5.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-51.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.62 SAR 9.82

-37.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 SAR 20.76

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-59.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.60 SAR 2.27

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

$41.3K SAR 155.0K

$66.7K SAR 250.4K

-38.13%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$21.0K SAR 79.0K

-0.43%

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

$148 SAR 555

$127 SAR 478

16.15%

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

$28.17 SAR 106

$32.69 SAR 123

-13.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.8 SAR 337

$64.4 SAR 242

39.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 SAR 293

$77.7 SAR 292

0.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 SAR 32.49

$28.77 SAR 108

-69.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-2.87%

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

$291 SAR 1,091

$419 SAR 1,574

-30.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,465 SAR 20.5K

$7,803 SAR 29.3K

-29.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.06 SAR 143

$42.01 SAR 158

-9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 197

$49.62 SAR 186

5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 SAR 253

$97.9 SAR 368

-31.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 SAR 265

$91.6 SAR 344

-23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 SAR 2,061

$584 SAR 2,193

-6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 SAR 1,944

$369 SAR 1,385

40.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 SAR 2,840

$985 SAR 3,700

-23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 SAR 2,138

$673 SAR 2,529

-15.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,322 SAR 8,722

$1,416 SAR 5,319

63.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,339 SAR 5,028

$600 SAR 2,253

123.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,237 SAR 4,644

$1,520 SAR 5,708

-18.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

5.9

-29.32%

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

Last update for Medina: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $549 in Medina and $584 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 23% 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 $35.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $199 per month, with Medina 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 13% 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 23% 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: $549 in Medina versus $584 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,364 per month in Medina versus $1,205 in Ad Dammam – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 5% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,364 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 13% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.