Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Ad Dammam

For one person, living is cheaper in Qatif: $1,102 a month against $1,217 in Ad Dammam, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Qatif
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Qatif Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Ad Dammam
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Ad Dammam Living Index

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Qatif

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,102

/mo nomad

Ad Dammam

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,217

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Qatif and in Ad Dammam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Qatif and in Ad Dammam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,102 in Qatif versus $1,217 in Ad Dammam.

Qatif $1,102
Ad Dammam $1,217

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,640 in Qatif versus $1,838 in Ad Dammam.

Qatif $1,640
Ad Dammam $1,838

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Qatif versus $2,460 in Ad Dammam.

Qatif $2,178
Ad Dammam $2,460

Living in Qatif costs roughly 9% less than in Ad Dammam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qatif 19% lower, Ad Dammam 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 SAR 13.15

$7.12 SAR 26.74

-50.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.91 SAR 131

$34.16 SAR 128

2.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 SAR 24.48

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-4.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-1.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.39

$2.25 SAR 8.45

-0.44%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SAR 11.62

$3.02 SAR 11.33

2.65%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.78 SAR 2.94

-1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 SAR 0.72

$0.17 SAR 0.63

11.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.73 SAR 6.51

2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$1.29 SAR 4.85

-29.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$1.94 SAR 7.29

-1.03%

Eggs

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$2.18 SAR 8.20

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 SAR 22.14

$7.60 SAR 28.52

-22.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 SAR 29.64

$7.83 SAR 29.37

0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 SAR 47.44

$12.77 SAR 47.91

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.22 SAR 8.33

3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 SAR 2.52

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-57.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$1.12 SAR 4.21

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.26

$1.16 SAR 4.35

-2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.62 SAR 2.31

-11.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

$4.06 SAR 15.24

-35.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.64

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-0.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

$2.12 SAR 7.96

4.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 SAR 23.48

$7.58 SAR 28.46

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.91 SAR 3.41

19.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.50 SAR 137

$38.54 SAR 145

-5.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

$2.74 SAR 10.27

-10.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-79.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.24 SAR 49.70

$13.10 SAR 49.15

1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-4.69%

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

$29.1K SAR 109.1K

-0.02%

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

$20.3K SAR 76.3K

$21.5K SAR 80.5K

-5.27%

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

$104 SAR 388

$131 SAR 493

-21.15%

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

$32.15 SAR 121

$32.48 SAR 122

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 SAR 222

$62.9 SAR 236

-5.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.4 SAR 298

$72.9 SAR 273

8.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.38 SAR 80.2

$28.56 SAR 107

-25.14%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 SAR 49.03

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-3.47%

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

$264 SAR 992

$416 SAR 1,560

-36.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,860 SAR 29.5K

$8,051 SAR 30.2K

-2.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.16 SAR 121

$42.09 SAR 158

-23.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.10 SAR 79.2

$50.5 SAR 189

-58.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 SAR 358

$96.1 SAR 361

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 SAR 340

$92.6 SAR 348

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 SAR 2,199

$535 SAR 2,008

9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,402

$387 SAR 1,450

-3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 SAR 3,029

$970 SAR 3,640

-16.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 SAR 2,171

$670 SAR 2,513

-13.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$943 SAR 3,537

$962 SAR 3,610

-2.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 SAR 2,987

$707 SAR 2,653

12.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,257 SAR 8,471

$1,475 SAR 5,536

53.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.9

-6.78%

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

Last update for Qatif: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Qatif

$374 33.9%

Ad Dammam

$386 31.8% 3.4% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Qatif

$195 17.7%

Ad Dammam

$227 18.6% 16.3% $32

Groceries & Markets

Qatif

$185 16.8%

Ad Dammam

$201 16.5% 8.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Qatif

$108 9.8%

Ad Dammam

$127 10.4% 17.4% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Qatif

$106 9.6%

Ad Dammam

$100 8.2% 5.3% $5.6

Eating Out

Qatif

$89 8%

Ad Dammam

$117 9.7% 32.6% $29

Getting Around

Qatif

$46 4.2%

Ad Dammam

$59 4.8% 27.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Qatif and $535 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35 in Qatif vs $34 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $201, with Qatif cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Qatif

🇸🇦 Ad Dammam

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

Same time as Qatif

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

87,332

903,312

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Qatif Ad Dammam 17 km

From you

Qatif
Ad Dammam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Qatif wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Qatif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Qatif, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $586 in Qatif versus $535 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,102 per month in Qatif versus $1,217 in Ad Dammam – Qatif is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 5% less than in Ad Dammam. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Qatif gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Qatif and Ad Dammam are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.