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: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 3% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$4.55 ฿153

63.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$46.18 ฿1,550

14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$8.84 ฿297

-10.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$3.06 ฿103

16.01%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.73 ฿24.36

26.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.40 ฿13.37

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$2.26 ฿75.8

-27.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.81 ฿60.8

-21.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.25 ฿75.7

-5.78%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.25 ฿75.4

2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$19.51 ฿655

-69.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$3.65 ฿122

100.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.81

$13.05 ฿438

-22.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$3.23 ฿109

-35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.62 ฿54.3

-4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$2.38 ฿80.0

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$2.03 ฿68.0

-18.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.53 ฿51.5

-16.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.50 ฿50.4

-8.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$0.98 ฿32.85

31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.52 ฿17.36

5.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$4.44 ฿149

74.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.41 ฿47.37

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$11.70 ฿393

235.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$3.11 ฿104

6.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.04 ฿35.00

162.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$14.11 ฿474

-3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.31 ฿44.02

-53.44%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-20.10%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.21%

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

$118 SAR 444

$122 ฿4,110

-3.34%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$13.59 ฿456

184.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$18.70 ฿628

239.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$60.5 ฿2,031

16.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$16.98 ฿570

81.92%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$9.07 ฿305

68.69%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$706 ฿23.7K

-39.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-48.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$58.6 ฿1,965

16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$35.36 ฿1,187

91.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$115 ฿3,876

-21.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$83.7 ฿2,811

2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$626 ฿21.0K

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$445 ฿14.9K

-15.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,976

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-61.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,388

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-57.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-62.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-68.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,640

$500 ฿16.8K

200.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

5.33

-18.76%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 200% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $289, 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 3% 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 200% 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 236% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,250 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 $1,211 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 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.