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: $1,468 in Medina versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,836 in Medina versus $1,905 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Medina versus $2,574 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Medina is roughly 19% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 SAR 21.39

$7.31 SAR 27.41

-22.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.98 SAR 120

$53.9 SAR 202

-40.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.16

$8.13 SAR 30.50

-4.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-11.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.84 SAR 6.91

-5.43%

Cappuccino

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$3.67 SAR 13.78

-33.51%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$0.84 SAR 3.15

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$0.37 SAR 1.39

5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.11 SAR 7.91

13.74%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.29 SAR 8.58

-7.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.36

$6.28 SAR 23.54

3.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.88

$7.43 SAR 27.85

-7.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 SAR 47.89

$10.11 SAR 37.91

26.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.80

$2.21 SAR 8.27

6.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.48 SAR 5.57

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$1.45 SAR 5.43

49.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.67 SAR 6.25

1.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.28 SAR 4.82

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.65

$1.33 SAR 4.98

13.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SAR 3.83

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-21.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$0.59 SAR 2.22

40.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$4.24 SAR 15.88

-68.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.57 SAR 5.87

8.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$2.02 SAR 7.56

-22.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.89

$8.04 SAR 30.17

-7.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$0.89 SAR 3.33

22.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.59 SAR 141

$39.57 SAR 148

-5.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-59.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$2.73 SAR 10.22

-39.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 SAR 21.12

$13.14 SAR 49.27

-57.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.64 SAR 2.40

1.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-5.99%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

0.69%

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

$201 SAR 754

$117 SAR 438

72.11%

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

$33.28 SAR 125

$38.51 SAR 144

-13.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$63.3 SAR 237

62.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 290

$69.6 SAR 261

11.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.66 SAR 32.47

$30.63 SAR 115

-71.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.83

$15.02 SAR 56.3

-11.52%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$425 SAR 1,592

-31.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

-12.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$67.0 SAR 251

-43.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 SAR 198

$66.0 SAR 248

-20.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 SAR 248

$92.6 SAR 347

-28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 SAR 364

$87.2 SAR 327

11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 SAR 1,578

$445 SAR 1,670

-5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,076

$377 SAR 1,414

46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 SAR 2,712

$799 SAR 2,997

-9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 SAR 1,563

$640 SAR 2,398

-34.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,312 SAR 8,669

$894 SAR 3,352

158.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 SAR 4,981

$778 SAR 2,917

70.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 SAR 5,058

$1,974 SAR 7,403

-31.67%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $421 in Medina and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 46% 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 $199 vs $189, 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 19% 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 46% 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: $421 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 $1,468 per month in Medina versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam – a 19% 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 $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,468 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 19% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.