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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,163 in Unaizah versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Unaizah versus $1,860 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,365 in Unaizah versus $2,524 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 3% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Unaizah 13% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$7.29 SAR 27.37

-8.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.60 SAR 152

$53.7 SAR 202

-24.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.86

$8.03 SAR 30.16

-10.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-13.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-31.05%

Cappuccino

$4.18 SAR 15.70

$3.73 SAR 14.00

12.06%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.35 SAR 1.30

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-80.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.63

$2.09 SAR 7.86

10.05%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.50

$2.27 SAR 8.53

11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 SAR 22.87

$6.12 SAR 22.97

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 SAR 17.66

$7.25 SAR 27.23

-35.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 SAR 48.03

$9.70 SAR 36.42

31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$2.12 SAR 7.95

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$1.49 SAR 5.61

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.40 SAR 5.24

24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.59 SAR 5.98

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.28 SAR 4.82

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 SAR 9.69

$1.32 SAR 4.97

95.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-9.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.59 SAR 2.21

11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

$4.13 SAR 15.50

-37.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.56 SAR 5.85

10.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$1.92 SAR 7.22

5.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$7.76 SAR 29.13

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.95 SAR 3.57

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.78 SAR 149

$39.54 SAR 148

0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$3.38 SAR 12.70

-19.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.62 SAR 9.86

-29.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.60 SAR 2.25

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

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

15.34%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

4.10%

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

$104 SAR 392

$115 SAR 432

-9.14%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$38.60 SAR 145

-14.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 SAR 272

$63.5 SAR 239

14.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 SAR 200

$70.5 SAR 265

-24.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.48 SAR 133

$31.26 SAR 117

13.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$15.06 SAR 56.6

3.32%

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

$354 SAR 1,329

$415 SAR 1,558

-14.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,930 SAR 26.0K

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

-15.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$68.6 SAR 258

-12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 SAR 229

$66.7 SAR 250

-8.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SAR 303

$92.6 SAR 348

-12.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$85.7 SAR 322

-4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,681

$447 SAR 1,677

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,426

$378 SAR 1,421

0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,156

$805 SAR 3,021

4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,337

$626 SAR 2,350

-0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,481 SAR 9,315

$1,353 SAR 5,082

83.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,517 SAR 5,696

$816 SAR 3,063

85.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,500 SAR 9,389

$1,510 SAR 5,669

65.63%

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 Unaizah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Unaizah and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 66% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Unaizah vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $184 per month, with Unaizah 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

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

Unaizah wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Unaizah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Unaizah, 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: $448 in Unaizah 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 $1,163 per month in Unaizah versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,163 in Unaizah versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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, Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.