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: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,503 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 32% above, Ad Dammam is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$7.45 SAR 27.99

9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$53.0 SAR 199

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.92 SAR 29.73

0.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-10.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.85 SAR 6.95

24.86%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.55 SAR 13.34

12.11%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-18.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.64 SAR 6.15

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.42 SAR 5.32

-6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.12 SAR 7.96

11.32%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.31 SAR 8.68

16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$5.99 SAR 22.48

41.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.32 SAR 27.49

35.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.5

$10.07 SAR 37.81

43.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.09 SAR 7.85

11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.55 SAR 5.82

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.39 SAR 5.23

35.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-2.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.37 SAR 5.15

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.29 SAR 4.86

10.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.55 SAR 2.08

-5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$4.12 SAR 15.47

91.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.61 SAR 6.05

11.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.07

$1.99 SAR 7.47

21.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-4.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.94 SAR 3.51

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$39.30 SAR 148

-6.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-32.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.54

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

57.85%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

12.41%

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

$106 SAR 398

$118 SAR 444

-10.54%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$38.60 SAR 145

-8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$63.4 SAR 238

21.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$70.7 SAR 266

50.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$30.89 SAR 116

93.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.30 SAR 57.5

6.01%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$427 SAR 1,602

9.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

16.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$68.0 SAR 255

-14.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$67.8 SAR 255

-4.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$90.5 SAR 340

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$86.1 SAR 323

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,167

$452 SAR 1,697

145.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$376 SAR 1,413

123.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$792 SAR 2,976

155.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$636 SAR 2,388

77.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$1,320 SAR 4,956

120.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,280

$812 SAR 3,051

138.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,588

$1,502 SAR 5,640

34.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.33

22.63%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 35% 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: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $185 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 35% 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: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,758 per month in Riyadh versus $1,211 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 7% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,758 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 $1,211 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.