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: $1,311 in Tabuk versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Tabuk versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Tabuk versus $2,503 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Tabuk is roughly 8% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tabuk 2% lower, Ad Dammam 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 SAR 31.96

$7.45 SAR 27.99

14.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 SAR 104

$53.0 SAR 199

-47.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 SAR 27.66

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-7.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-17.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.05 SAR 11.45

$3.55 SAR 13.33

-14.08%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.80

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.64 SAR 6.15

16.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$1.42 SAR 5.32

-60.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$2.12 SAR 7.96

27.83%

Eggs

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$2.31 SAR 8.68

13.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 SAR 47.09

$5.99 SAR 22.48

109.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.75

$7.32 SAR 27.49

-9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 SAR 49.14

$10.07 SAR 37.81

29.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.09 SAR 7.85

-4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.55 SAR 5.82

3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

$1.39 SAR 5.23

28.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.65 SAR 6.20

29.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.28 SAR 4.79

32.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$1.37 SAR 5.15

52.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$1.29 SAR 4.86

50.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$0.55 SAR 2.08

12.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

$4.12 SAR 15.47

-30.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.61 SAR 6.05

5.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.99 SAR 7.47

4.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.63 SAR 28.65

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.94 SAR 3.51

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.43 SAR 148

$39.30 SAR 148

0.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-18.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$0.61 SAR 2.29

6.56%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.4K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

20.29%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.3K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

7.58%

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

$161 SAR 604

$118 SAR 444

35.84%

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

$37.11 SAR 139

$38.60 SAR 145

-3.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 391

$63.4 SAR 238

64.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 SAR 332

$70.7 SAR 266

25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.85 SAR 135

$30.89 SAR 116

16.06%

Cinema Ticket

$25.80 SAR 96.9

$15.30 SAR 57.5

68.63%

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

$352 SAR 1,321

$427 SAR 1,602

-17.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,390 SAR 31.5K

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

2.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$68.0 SAR 255

-13.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$67.8 SAR 255

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 295

$90.5 SAR 340

-13.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 SAR 309

$86.1 SAR 323

-4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 SAR 1,263

$452 SAR 1,697

-25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,375

$376 SAR 1,413

-2.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 SAR 3,049

$792 SAR 2,976

2.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 SAR 2,769

$636 SAR 2,388

15.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,566 SAR 9,637

$1,320 SAR 4,956

94.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 SAR 5,756

$812 SAR 3,051

88.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,762 SAR 6,617

$1,502 SAR 5,640

17.33%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in Tabuk and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tabuk pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Tabuk vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $185, 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 8% 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.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Tabuk, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $336 in Tabuk versus $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,311 per month in Tabuk versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam – a 8% 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 $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,311 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 8% less than in Tabuk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.