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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,736 in Riyadh versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,592 in Riyadh versus $1,825 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,447 in Riyadh versus $2,452 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 45% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Ad Dammam is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$8.09 SAR 30.38

-4.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$37.23 SAR 140

72.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.49

$6.79 SAR 25.50

23.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.80 SAR 6.76

0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

$2.06 SAR 7.73

37.86%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$3.04 SAR 11.42

44.08%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.77 SAR 2.88

11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.17 SAR 0.62

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.33 SAR 5.00

-0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$1.93 SAR 7.25

25.39%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$2.10 SAR 7.89

55.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$7.34 SAR 27.57

30.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.81

$7.76 SAR 29.13

26.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$12.48 SAR 46.86

20.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.18 SAR 8.20

23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.71 SAR 6.44

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.64 SAR 6.15

41.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.63 SAR 6.13

5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.08 SAR 4.04

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.19 SAR 4.46

16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.32 SAR 4.96

29.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.56 SAR 2.12

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

$4.20 SAR 15.78

90.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.49 SAR 5.59

20.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.23 SAR 8.39

10.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.90 SAR 3.37

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$35.24 SAR 132

5.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$2.67 SAR 10.03

22.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-29.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-1.67%

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

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

$66.9K SAR 251.2K

-47.07%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$20.9K SAR 78.4K

6.87%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$126 SAR 472

-23.99%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$33.14 SAR 124

-3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$62.7 SAR 235

11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$76.1 SAR 286

20.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$27.76 SAR 104

97.44%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$13.49 SAR 50.7

2.00%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$414 SAR 1,554

30.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$7,996 SAR 30.0K

39.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$41.25 SAR 155

45.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$48.67 SAR 183

19.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$97.3 SAR 365

13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$91.8 SAR 345

13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,464

$566 SAR 2,126

109.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,195

$376 SAR 1,410

126.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,174

$988 SAR 3,709

120.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$672 SAR 2,523

89.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$1,376 SAR 5,167

114.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$597 SAR 2,240

217.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,902

$1,528 SAR 5,737

37.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.9

-6.10%

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

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,189 in Riyadh and $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $37.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $199 per month, with Ad Dammam 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,189 in Riyadh versus $566 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,736 per month in Riyadh versus $1,198 in Ad Dammam – a 45% 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 Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Ad Dammam versus $1,736 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,198 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Riyadh 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 45% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.