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: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $3,291 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 8% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$4.53 ฿153

47.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$46.36 ฿1,562

-14.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$8.65 ฿291

-8.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$3.09 ฿104

21.68%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$0.68 ฿22.85

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.37 ฿12.41

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$2.18 ฿73.4

-25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.82 ฿61.2

-44.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.18 ฿73.3

4.13%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.24 ฿75.3

13.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$19.93 ฿671

-65.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$3.64 ฿123

104.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$13.56 ฿457

-3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$3.29 ฿111

-28.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.69 ฿56.8

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$2.33 ฿78.6

-29.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.03 ฿68.3

-22.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.60 ฿53.9

-22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.49 ฿50.4

-8.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.01 ฿34.11

32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.48 ฿16.06

31.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$4.45 ฿150

57.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.42 ฿47.81

-25.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$11.33 ฿382

258.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.09 ฿104

-15.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.04 ฿35.13

78.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$13.63 ฿459

-3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.31 ฿44.15

-51.91%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$27.3K ฿919.1K

-1.76%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-29.50%

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

$103 SAR 386

$123 ฿4,149

-16.49%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$13.81 ฿465

147.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$18.52 ฿624

285.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$60.4 ฿2,034

57.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$16.80 ฿566

112.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$8.89 ฿299

64.57%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$687 ฿23.1K

-49.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$15.6K ฿523.9K

-52.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$57.6 ฿1,942

-4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$34.66 ฿1,168

84.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$115 ฿3,872

-27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$84.9 ฿2,860

-4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$618 ฿20.8K

-27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$443 ฿14.9K

-14.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$2,047 ฿69.0K

-56.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$1,506 ฿50.7K

-59.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$3,568 ฿120.2K

-50.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$2,511 ฿84.6K

-56.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $292 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $1,891 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: $445 in Dammam versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Dammam versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 258% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,261 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 2% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.