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: $1,776 in Riyadh versus $1,207 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,477 in Riyadh versus $1,868 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Riyadh versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 47% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$6.73 SAR 25.28

19.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$40.67 SAR 153

29.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.31

$7.79 SAR 29.26

3.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-6.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$1.77 SAR 6.64

27.12%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.05

$3.64 SAR 13.67

10.16%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.81 SAR 3.05

-13.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.30 SAR 1.14

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.02 SAR 3.82

27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.36 SAR 8.85

2.97%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.97

$2.59 SAR 9.74

2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.29

$6.90 SAR 25.90

24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.55

$7.53 SAR 28.26

32.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$12.74 SAR 47.85

14.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.34 SAR 8.79

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.70 SAR 6.38

0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.57 SAR 5.90

14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.23 SAR 4.61

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.33 SAR 5.01

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.37 SAR 5.13

6.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-5.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.12

$2.93 SAR 10.99

164.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.72 SAR 6.44

1.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.09 SAR 7.84

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.76

$7.25 SAR 27.22

-1.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.08 SAR 4.06

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 SAR 143

$39.81 SAR 149

-4.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.17

$2.73 SAR 10.27

18.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.91 SAR 7.15

-4.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$13.59 SAR 51.0

-0.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.60 SAR 2.24

5.00%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

29.95%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

0.14%

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

$103 SAR 385

$106 SAR 399

-3.52%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$33.85 SAR 127

2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$70.6 SAR 265

6.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 396

$95.4 SAR 358

10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 219

$34.96 SAR 131

66.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$14.40 SAR 54.1

9.65%

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

$459 SAR 1,724

$355 SAR 1,332

29.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

22.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$55.8 SAR 209

7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$62.7 SAR 235

2.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 400

$85.0 SAR 319

25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 377

$80.3 SAR 301

24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,065

$430 SAR 1,613

151.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,187

$373 SAR 1,401

127.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,658

$874 SAR 3,283

133.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,229

$632 SAR 2,372

78.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

$1,778 SAR 6,677

75.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,366

$1,106 SAR 4,154

77.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,495

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,083 in Riyadh and $430 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Riyadh vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $198 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,665 in Riyadh and $1,810 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: $1,083 in Riyadh versus $430 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,776 per month in Riyadh versus $1,207 in Dammam – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 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 $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,776 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 47% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.