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: $1,734 in Riyadh versus $1,227 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Riyadh versus $1,878 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Riyadh versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 41% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Dammam is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$6.59 SAR 24.74

18.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$39.22 SAR 147

65.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$7.95 SAR 29.87

11.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.82 SAR 6.82

9.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.79 SAR 6.71

65.92%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.56 SAR 13.36

18.82%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.80 SAR 3.00

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.28 SAR 1.04

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.64 SAR 6.16

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.05 SAR 3.95

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.34 SAR 8.79

4.70%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.46 SAR 9.23

29.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$6.75 SAR 25.33

43.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$7.30 SAR 27.41

36.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$13.01 SAR 48.85

16.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.39 SAR 8.97

9.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.64 SAR 6.16

18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.64 SAR 6.16

43.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.58 SAR 5.92

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.39 SAR 5.21

2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.30 SAR 4.87

31.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.59 SAR 2.23

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$2.94 SAR 11.04

163.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.75 SAR 6.57

5.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$2.01 SAR 7.53

22.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$7.39 SAR 27.75

1.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.08 SAR 4.06

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$40.25 SAR 151

-6.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.68 SAR 10.08

22.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$13.44 SAR 50.5

-2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

37.30%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

-4.79%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$106 SAR 397

-8.33%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$33.13 SAR 124

-2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$70.4 SAR 264

-2.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$95.6 SAR 359

-6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$36.61 SAR 138

50.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$14.31 SAR 53.8

-7.13%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$349 SAR 1,310

52.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

50.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$56.2 SAR 211

4.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$64.5 SAR 242

-13.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$85.1 SAR 319

24.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$82.0 SAR 308

27.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$438 SAR 1,646

167.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$384 SAR 1,441

116.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$884 SAR 3,321

149.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$633 SAR 2,379

93.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$1,731 SAR 6,502

69.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,102 SAR 4,139

77.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

4.42

25.34%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Riyadh and $438 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Riyadh vs $39.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $197 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. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,601 in Riyadh and $1,840 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: $1,174 in Riyadh versus $438 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,734 per month in Riyadh versus $1,227 in Dammam – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 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 $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,734 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 41% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.