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: $1,146 in Unaizah versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,774 in Unaizah versus $1,905 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in Unaizah versus $2,574 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 7% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Unaizah 14% lower, Ad Dammam 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.26

$7.31 SAR 27.41

-11.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$53.9 SAR 202

-25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 SAR 26.39

$8.13 SAR 30.50

-13.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-15.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.84 SAR 6.91

-29.35%

Cappuccino

$4.07 SAR 15.26

$3.67 SAR 13.78

10.90%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.84 SAR 3.15

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.37 SAR 1.39

-24.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-12.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-80.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.11 SAR 7.91

7.11%

Eggs

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$2.29 SAR 8.58

5.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 SAR 22.69

$6.28 SAR 23.54

-3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 SAR 17.32

$7.43 SAR 27.85

-37.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.06

$10.11 SAR 37.91

29.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.21 SAR 8.27

2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.48 SAR 5.57

9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.45 SAR 5.43

18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.28 SAR 4.82

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$1.33 SAR 4.98

99.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-8.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.55

$0.59 SAR 2.22

15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 SAR 11.58

$4.24 SAR 15.88

-27.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.57 SAR 5.87

7.01%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

$2.02 SAR 7.56

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 SAR 25.64

$8.04 SAR 30.17

-14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.89 SAR 3.33

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 SAR 152

$39.57 SAR 148

2.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-21.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$2.73 SAR 10.22

-31.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.7

$13.14 SAR 49.27

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-4.69%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

15.27%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

5.08%

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

$104 SAR 391

$117 SAR 438

-10.76%

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

$33.59 SAR 126

$38.51 SAR 144

-12.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 SAR 269

$63.3 SAR 237

13.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 SAR 202

$69.6 SAR 261

-22.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$30.63 SAR 115

16.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 SAR 57.9

$15.02 SAR 56.3

2.73%

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

$358 SAR 1,341

$425 SAR 1,592

-15.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,080 SAR 26.6K

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

-15.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 SAR 225

$67.0 SAR 251

-10.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$66.0 SAR 248

-7.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 SAR 295

$92.6 SAR 347

-15.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$87.2 SAR 327

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,679

$445 SAR 1,670

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,404

$377 SAR 1,414

-0.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,175

$799 SAR 2,997

5.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 SAR 2,364

$640 SAR 2,398

-1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,243 SAR 8,410

$894 SAR 3,352

150.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,249 SAR 4,683

$778 SAR 2,917

60.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,542 SAR 9,532

$1,974 SAR 7,403

28.77%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Unaizah and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Unaizah vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $189 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 8% 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.

Unaizah pays 29% more on average, 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 $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,146 per month in Unaizah versus $1,237 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 Unaizah runs roughly 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,146 in Unaizah versus $1,237 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 8% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.