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: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,872 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,533 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 44% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$7.31 SAR 27.42

12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$53.6 SAR 201

-1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.98 SAR 29.94

1.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-6.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.82 SAR 6.82

22.53%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.70 SAR 13.89

10.54%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.92 SAR 3.43

-22.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 SAR 1.30

-17.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.09 SAR 7.85

12.44%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.24 SAR 8.42

21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.06 SAR 22.73

42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.15 SAR 26.85

40.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$9.62 SAR 36.12

51.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.11 SAR 7.93

11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.50 SAR 5.62

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.38 SAR 5.20

34.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-7.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.28 SAR 4.80

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.33 SAR 4.99

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.35 SAR 5.06

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$4.19 SAR 15.73

94.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.60 SAR 6.01

6.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.98 SAR 7.44

20.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.89 SAR 3.36

22.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.16 SAR 151

-8.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.65 SAR 9.96

-30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.28 SAR 49.85

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-1.56%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

47.92%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

10.16%

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

$104 SAR 391

$117 SAR 438

-10.70%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$38.34 SAR 144

-10.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$63.5 SAR 238

21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$70.9 SAR 266

47.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$30.51 SAR 114

91.05%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.54 SAR 58.3

4.05%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$415 SAR 1,559

10.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

19.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$66.9 SAR 251

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$68.2 SAR 256

-6.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$90.8 SAR 341

17.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$85.5 SAR 321

17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$447 SAR 1,678

139.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$375 SAR 1,408

124.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$800 SAR 3,002

153.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$641 SAR 2,407

70.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$1,309 SAR 4,914

134.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$805 SAR 3,020

139.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$1,895 SAR 7,110

18.87%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 19% 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: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $184, 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 44% 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.

Riyadh pays 19% more on average, 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: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,739 per month in Riyadh versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 9% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,739 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 $1,210 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 44% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.