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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Dhahran vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Dhahran vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Dhahran vs $2,833 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 5% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.34

$4.56 ฿151

18.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.08 SAR 151

$32.62 ฿1,082

22.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 SAR 22.70

$8.90 ฿295

-32.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$2.80 ฿93.0

42.50%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.88 ฿29.19

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.49 ฿16.23

-59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$1.79 ฿59.3

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.44 ฿47.81

-34.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.58 ฿52.6

26.58%

Eggs

$3.90 SAR 14.64

$2.13 ฿70.5

83.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 SAR 33.05

$19.92 ฿661

-55.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 SAR 41.92

$3.43 ฿114

225.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 SAR 51.6

$11.33 ฿376

21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.95 ฿97.8

-28.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.72 ฿57.1

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$2.32 ฿77.1

-21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$2.08 ฿69.0

-16.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.47 ฿48.77

3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.36 ฿45.05

-30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.10 ฿36.45

79.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$0.57 ฿19.06

61.40%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.81 SAR 18.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 SAR 21.17

$4.27 ฿142

32.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$2.22 ฿73.6

-65.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$3.03 ฿101

-56.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 SAR 12.57

$1.07 ฿35.63

213.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 SAR 35.48

$3.93 ฿130

140.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.49 ฿49.49

-57.72%

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

$53.4K SAR 200.5K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

96.85%

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

$20.4K SAR 76.8K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-25.51%

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

$60.2 SAR 226

$103 ฿3,410

-41.43%

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

$43.47 SAR 163

$10.99 ฿365

295.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 SAR 243

$17.51 ฿581

270.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 SAR 731

$53.5 ฿1,776

263.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$91.4 SAR 343

$11.20 ฿371

715.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 SAR 39.82

$7.48 ฿248

41.84%

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

$65.8 SAR 247

$557 ฿18.5K

-88.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K SAR 49.5K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

11.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 SAR 189

$64.1 ฿2,125

-21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 SAR 159

$29.07 ฿964

45.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 SAR 285

$96.0 ฿3,183

-20.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$90.3 ฿2,997

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 SAR 1,330

$730 ฿24.2K

-51.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$500 ฿16.6K

-10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,854 SAR 10.7K

$503 ฿16.7K

466.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.57

-19.21%

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

Last update for Dhahran: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Dhahran versus $730 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 467% 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 $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Dhahran vs $273 in Phuket – so Dhahran wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $1,950 per month in Dhahran and $1,880 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 $1,300 in Dhahran and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $65.8 per month in Dhahran and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Dhahran at $1,300. 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 $1,253 versus $1,300 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.