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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in Ad Dammam versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,450 in Ad Dammam versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 2% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 12% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 SAR 29.66

$4.41 ฿147

79.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 SAR 132

$32.26 ฿1,077

9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 SAR 25.48

$8.93 ฿298

-24.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$2.90 ฿96.6

2.76%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.90

$0.88 ฿29.38

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.77

$0.48 ฿16.06

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.87 ฿62.3

-3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.47 ฿48.94

-13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.55 ฿51.8

20.65%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.10 ฿70.1

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.26

$19.59 ฿654

-62.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SAR 29.06

$3.42 ฿114

126.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.63

$11.38 ฿380

13.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.98 ฿99.6

-26.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.68 ฿56.2

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.21 ฿73.7

-28.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.16 ฿72.1

-27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$1.52 ฿50.9

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.34 ฿44.67

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.13 ฿37.67

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.55 ฿18.24

5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.45

$4.26 ฿142

77.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$2.23 ฿74.4

-56.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.71 SAR 134

$22.74 ฿759

57.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$3.03 ฿101

-9.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$1.02 ฿34.15

156.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$3.89 ฿130

248.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.49 ฿49.77

-59.73%

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

$66.7K SAR 250.4K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

150.83%

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

$21.0K SAR 79.0K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-22.14%

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

$127 SAR 478

$102 ฿3,420

24.12%

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

$32.69 SAR 123

$11.33 ฿378

188.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$17.40 ฿581

270.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 SAR 292

$52.1 ฿1,738

49.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.77 SAR 108

$11.07 ฿370

159.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$7.69 ฿257

76.59%

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

$419 SAR 1,574

$561 ฿18.7K

-25.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,803 SAR 29.3K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-32.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.01 SAR 158

$63.0 ฿2,104

-33.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 SAR 186

$29.52 ฿986

68.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$98.0 ฿3,272

-0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 SAR 344

$88.5 ฿2,954

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 SAR 2,193

$738 ฿24.6K

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,385

$482 ฿16.1K

-23.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SAR 3,700

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-53.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 SAR 2,529

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-45.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,416 SAR 5,319

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-60.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$600 SAR 2,253

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-76.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,520 SAR 5,708

$494 ฿16.5K

207.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.57

5.92%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ad Dammam and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 208% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $274, 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Phuket. 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 208% higher in Ad Dammam, 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: $584 in Ad Dammam versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 57% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,205 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Phuket 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 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.