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: $1,770 in Riyadh versus $1,215 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,504 in Riyadh versus $1,840 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,239 in Riyadh versus $2,465 in Dammam.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Dammam is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 SAR 30.46

$6.68 SAR 25.04

21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$39.64 SAR 149

33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.43

$8.01 SAR 30.05

1.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.39

$1.85 SAR 6.93

21.08%

Cappuccino

$4.15 SAR 15.56

$3.56 SAR 13.36

16.57%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$0.81 SAR 3.03

-6.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.30 SAR 1.14

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.09

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.00 SAR 3.76

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.37 SAR 8.89

3.38%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$2.51 SAR 9.41

7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.44

$6.73 SAR 25.24

28.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 SAR 38.13

$7.53 SAR 28.26

35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 SAR 55.2

$12.78 SAR 47.94

15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.46

$2.28 SAR 8.54

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.66 SAR 6.23

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$1.59 SAR 5.95

13.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.75

$1.56 SAR 5.84

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.23 SAR 4.60

5.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.69

$1.32 SAR 4.96

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.30 SAR 4.87

6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.57

$2.90 SAR 10.89

181.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-2.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.01 SAR 7.52

20.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.23 SAR 27.12

$7.13 SAR 26.75

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-0.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.73 SAR 141

$39.58 SAR 148

-4.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.20

$2.73 SAR 10.23

19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.50 SAR 50.6

$13.42 SAR 50.3

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-7.81%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

30.30%

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

$23.6K SAR 88.4K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

1.91%

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

$106 SAR 398

$106 SAR 397

0.37%

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

$35.49 SAR 133

$33.23 SAR 125

6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$70.5 SAR 264

6.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$96.3 SAR 361

11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.7 SAR 220

$36.28 SAR 136

61.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SAR 58.8

$14.86 SAR 55.7

5.59%

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

$449 SAR 1,685

$346 SAR 1,298

29.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,572 SAR 35.9K

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

29.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 SAR 219

$56.4 SAR 212

3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 SAR 239

$63.9 SAR 240

-0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 405

$84.5 SAR 317

27.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 SAR 369

$81.8 SAR 307

20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,118

$428 SAR 1,606

156.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 SAR 3,206

$382 SAR 1,434

123.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 SAR 7,762

$877 SAR 3,288

136.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 SAR 4,246

$633 SAR 2,374

78.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 SAR 11.0K

$1,776 SAR 6,661

64.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 SAR 7,163

$1,107 SAR 4,150

72.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 SAR 8,947

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,098 in Riyadh and $428 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53 in Riyadh vs $40 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,654 in Riyadh and $1,823 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: $1,098 in Riyadh versus $428 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,770 per month in Riyadh versus $1,215 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 5% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,770 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.