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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,667 in Rabigh versus $1,891 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,186 in Rabigh versus $2,575 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Rabigh costs roughly 5% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rabigh 15% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 SAR 14.63

$7.49 SAR 28.11

-47.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.09 SAR 79.1

$54.1 SAR 203

-61.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-8.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-31.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

$1.82 SAR 6.82

-58.24%

Cappuccino

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$3.60 SAR 13.51

-32.78%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.89 SAR 3.34

-28.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 SAR 0.42

$0.35 SAR 1.31

-68.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-21.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.45 SAR 5.45

-80.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.00 SAR 7.52

17.00%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.32

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.48 SAR 20.56

$6.01 SAR 22.56

-8.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 SAR 18.55

$7.22 SAR 27.11

-31.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 SAR 47.16

$9.97 SAR 37.41

26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.17 SAR 8.16

0.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.50 SAR 5.61

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.41 SAR 5.28

12.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.60 SAR 6.01

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.22 SAR 4.59

9.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-10.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-5.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-1.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

$1.62 SAR 6.08

15.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

$2.00 SAR 7.49

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$7.84 SAR 29.43

-65.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.95 SAR 3.56

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 SAR 150

$40.76 SAR 153

-1.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.36

$3.36 SAR 12.60

-2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-32.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 SAR 56.4

$13.53 SAR 50.8

11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-3.28%

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

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

18.40%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

6.64%

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

$107 SAR 402

$117 SAR 440

-8.56%

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

$32.50 SAR 122

$38.94 SAR 146

-16.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$62.3 SAR 234

10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.0 SAR 326

$69.0 SAR 259

26.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 SAR 133

$30.82 SAR 116

14.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-10.03%

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

$401 SAR 1,504

$414 SAR 1,552

-3.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

-21.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$69.0 SAR 259

-7.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$67.6 SAR 254

-13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 SAR 351

$90.7 SAR 340

3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 SAR 311

$85.9 SAR 322

-3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,059

$445 SAR 1,669

-36.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$385 SAR 1,446

-0.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,962

$800 SAR 3,002

-34.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,326

$635 SAR 2,382

-2.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 SAR 7,525

$1,331 SAR 4,995

50.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 SAR 5,231

$804 SAR 3,019

73.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.33

3.93%

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

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Rabigh and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Rabigh vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $185 per month, with Rabigh 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

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

Rabigh wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rabigh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,722 in Rabigh and $1,811 in Ad Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Rabigh 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 $1,148 per month in Rabigh versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,207 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh 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, Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.