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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 4% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 9% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$4.66 ฿150

43.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$46.44 ฿1,496

-14.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$8.68 ฿280

-7.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$2.95 ฿95.0

20.68%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$0.70 ฿22.52

15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.39 ฿12.70

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$2.22 ฿71.5

-22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$1.80 ฿57.8

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.19 ฿70.4

8.22%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.31 ฿74.5

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$19.34 ฿623

-65.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$3.77 ฿121

99.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$13.22 ฿426

-3.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$3.33 ฿107

-31.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.65 ฿53.1

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$2.29 ฿73.7

-30.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.99 ฿64.1

-21.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.53 ฿49.24

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.51 ฿48.77

-12.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.03 ฿33.12

26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.51 ฿16.57

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$4.41 ฿142

61.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$1.43 ฿46.11

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$11.70 ฿377

238.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$3.04 ฿97.9

-10.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.04 ฿33.37

84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$13.68 ฿441

-1.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.30 ฿41.85

-50.77%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-6.13%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-30.00%

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

$106 SAR 397

$123 ฿3,962

-13.94%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$13.82 ฿445

140.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$18.86 ฿608

273.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$61.2 ฿1,970

57.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$16.81 ฿541

115.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$8.87 ฿286

67.53%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$696 ฿22.4K

-50.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-53.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$59.3 ฿1,910

-4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$34.85 ฿1,123

83.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$113 ฿3,646

-25.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$85.1 ฿2,740

-3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$615 ฿19.8K

-30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$448 ฿14.4K

-14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$2,085 ฿67.2K

-57.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$1,496 ฿48.2K

-57.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-52.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-58.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.33

-17.07%

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

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $291 per month, with Dammam 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

Dammam vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Dammam and $1,904 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Dammam versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Dammam versus $1,270 in Phuket – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 238% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 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 Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.