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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,804 in Riyadh versus $1,233 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Riyadh versus $1,851 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,298 in Riyadh versus $2,468 in Dammam.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 46% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 35% above, Dammam is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$6.69 SAR 25.11

15.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$39.71 SAR 149

35.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.85

$7.93 SAR 29.75

0.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-2.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.76 SAR 6.60

27.27%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.02

$3.76 SAR 14.12

6.38%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.69

$0.81 SAR 3.06

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.28 SAR 1.05

3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.62 SAR 6.10

3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.01 SAR 3.79

29.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.27 SAR 8.52

3.08%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$2.55 SAR 9.57

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.48

$6.93 SAR 26.03

24.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 SAR 37.25

$7.44 SAR 27.92

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 SAR 54.6

$13.11 SAR 49.21

10.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.35

$2.34 SAR 8.80

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.64 SAR 6.14

13.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.57 SAR 5.89

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.24 SAR 4.64

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

$1.37 SAR 5.14

10.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.34 SAR 5.04

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.97

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-17.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.79 SAR 29.25

$2.88 SAR 10.83

170.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.72 SAR 6.46

1.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$2.08 SAR 7.81

12.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$7.03 SAR 26.40

5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.69 SAR 142

$40.58 SAR 152

-7.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.73

$2.60 SAR 9.75

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.86 SAR 6.97

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$13.17 SAR 49.44

2.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.63 SAR 2.37

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

$34.2K SAR 128.3K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

27.58%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-0.12%

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

$103 SAR 387

$103 SAR 386

0.13%

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

$34.69 SAR 130

$34.12 SAR 128

1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$71.3 SAR 268

5.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 SAR 390

$95.3 SAR 358

9.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 SAR 218

$35.74 SAR 134

62.40%

Cinema Ticket

$16.05 SAR 60.3

$14.63 SAR 54.9

9.71%

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

$465 SAR 1,744

$347 SAR 1,304

33.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,748 SAR 36.6K

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

30.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 SAR 219

$54.8 SAR 206

6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 SAR 246

$64.0 SAR 240

2.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 SAR 409

$83.8 SAR 314

30.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$80.8 SAR 303

23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 SAR 4,063

$445 SAR 1,670

143.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,133

$380 SAR 1,428

119.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 SAR 7,649

$881 SAR 3,305

131.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 SAR 4,097

$617 SAR 2,314

77.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,918 SAR 11.0K

$1,773 SAR 6,657

64.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 SAR 7,241

$1,092 SAR 4,100

76.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,119 SAR 7,954

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 21, 2026

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,082 in Riyadh and $445 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $40.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $199 per month, with 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 Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,707 in Riyadh and $1,849 in 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: $1,082 in Riyadh versus $445 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,804 per month in Riyadh versus $1,233 in Dammam – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,804 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Riyadh, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and 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 Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.