Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,302 per month in Dhahran vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Dhahran vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,697 per month in Dhahran vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Dhahran costs about 4% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dhahran and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 3% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$4.55 ฿153

16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$46.18 ฿1,554

-13.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$8.84 ฿298

-16.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$3.06 ฿103

19.93%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.73 ฿24.42

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.73

$0.40 ฿13.40

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$2.26 ฿76.0

-33.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.81 ฿60.9

-34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$2.25 ฿75.8

-4.00%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$2.25 ฿75.6

4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.61

$19.51 ฿656

-66.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 SAR 32.83

$3.65 ฿123

139.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.05 ฿439

3.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$3.23 ฿109

-32.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.62 ฿54.4

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.38 ฿80.2

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$2.03 ฿68.2

-35.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.53 ฿51.6

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.50 ฿50.5

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$0.98 ฿32.93

9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.52 ฿17.40

9.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 SAR 34.59

$4.44 ฿149

107.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.41 ฿47.49

-26.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 SAR 151

$11.70 ฿394

243.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$3.11 ฿105

-55.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.04 ฿35.08

126.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$14.11 ฿475

-6.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.31 ฿44.13

-51.15%

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

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

14.34%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-26.45%

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

$106 SAR 397

$122 ฿4,120

-13.69%

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

$36.75 SAR 138

$13.59 ฿457

170.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$18.70 ฿629

286.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$184 SAR 689

$60.5 ฿2,035

203.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$16.98 ฿572

109.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 SAR 45.42

$9.07 ฿305

33.41%

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

$403 SAR 1,515

$706 ฿23.8K

-42.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-38.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$58.6 ฿1,970

1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 SAR 281

$35.36 ฿1,190

111.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 SAR 322

$115 ฿3,885

-25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 SAR 360

$83.7 ฿2,818

14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,650

$626 ฿21.1K

-29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,431

$445 ฿15.0K

-14.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,153

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-58.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,378

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-57.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 SAR 4,165

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-68.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,955

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

$500 ฿16.8K

477.00%

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 Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 477% higher in Dhahran, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dhahran versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $289 – making Dhahran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dhahran vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhahran costs about 4% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,953 per month in Dhahran and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,302 in Dhahran and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 244% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Dhahran at $1,302. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $1,302 in Dhahran. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dhahran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.