Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabuk and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabuk and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Tabuk versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tabuk versus $1,872 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,685 in Tabuk versus $2,533 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Tabuk is roughly 11% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tabuk is 1% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 SAR 32.84

$7.31 SAR 27.42

19.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.64 SAR 104

$53.6 SAR 201

-48.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 SAR 26.95

$7.98 SAR 29.94

-10.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-13.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.82 SAR 6.82

4.95%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SAR 11.64

$3.70 SAR 13.89

-16.22%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.83

$0.92 SAR 3.43

-17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.35 SAR 1.30

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.71 SAR 6.43

7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-64.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.09 SAR 7.85

30.62%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.11

$2.24 SAR 8.42

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 SAR 45.75

$6.06 SAR 22.73

101.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.06

$7.15 SAR 26.85

-6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.61

$9.62 SAR 36.12

34.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$2.11 SAR 7.93

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.74

$1.50 SAR 5.62

2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.72

$1.38 SAR 5.20

29.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.66 SAR 6.24

30.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.28 SAR 4.80

33.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$1.33 SAR 4.99

51.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.35 SAR 5.06

48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.13

$0.55 SAR 2.07

3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

$4.19 SAR 15.73

-31.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.60 SAR 6.01

10.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.98 SAR 7.44

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.50 SAR 28.14

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.89 SAR 3.36

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.99 SAR 150

$40.16 SAR 151

-0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-18.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$2.65 SAR 9.96

-27.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.53

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-4.69%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

14.62%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

6.57%

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

$160 SAR 602

$117 SAR 438

37.42%

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

$36.95 SAR 139

$38.34 SAR 144

-3.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 SAR 399

$63.5 SAR 238

67.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 SAR 331

$70.9 SAR 266

24.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.71 SAR 134

$30.51 SAR 114

17.04%

Cinema Ticket

$25.73 SAR 96.6

$15.54 SAR 58.3

65.57%

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

$355 SAR 1,334

$415 SAR 1,559

-14.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

3.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$66.9 SAR 251

-11.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SAR 229

$68.2 SAR 256

-10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$90.8 SAR 341

-12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 SAR 310

$85.5 SAR 321

-3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,291

$447 SAR 1,678

-23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,374

$375 SAR 1,408

-2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 SAR 3,085

$800 SAR 3,002

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 SAR 2,743

$641 SAR 2,407

14.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

$1,309 SAR 4,914

104.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 SAR 5,728

$805 SAR 3,020

89.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,707 SAR 6,406

$1,895 SAR 7,110

-9.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.33

2.08%

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

Last update for Tabuk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Tabuk and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Tabuk vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Tabuk. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ad Dammam earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $344 in Tabuk 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 $1,348 per month in Tabuk versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 0% less than in Tabuk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,348 in Tabuk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Tabuk. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tabuk 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 11% less than in Tabuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.