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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,227 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,878 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Dammam 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-29.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$39.22 SAR 147

-17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.95 SAR 29.87

9.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.56 SAR 13.36

-18.54%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.80 SAR 3.00

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.28 SAR 1.04

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.64 SAR 6.16

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.05 SAR 3.95

34.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-30.77%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$6.75 SAR 25.33

193.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.30 SAR 27.41

-52.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$13.01 SAR 48.85

-12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.39 SAR 8.97

21.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.64 SAR 6.16

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.64 SAR 6.16

38.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.58 SAR 5.92

34.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.23 SAR 4.63

19.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.39 SAR 5.21

2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$7.39 SAR 27.75

-41.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.08 SAR 4.06

108.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$40.25 SAR 151

-41.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.68 SAR 10.08

15.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$13.44 SAR 50.5

-71.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.59 SAR 2.23

142.37%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

6.33%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

14.73%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$106 SAR 397

-0.95%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$33.13 SAR 124

-65.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$70.4 SAR 264

-75.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$95.6 SAR 359

-43.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$36.61 SAR 138

-68.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$14.31 SAR 53.8

-45.63%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$349 SAR 1,310

65.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

53.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$56.2 SAR 211

13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$64.5 SAR 242

-54.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$85.1 SAR 319

13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$82.0 SAR 308

9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$438 SAR 1,646

67.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$384 SAR 1,441

30.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$884 SAR 3,321

140.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$633 SAR 2,379

97.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,731 SAR 6,502

104.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,102 SAR 4,139

137.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.42

26.02%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $438 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $197, with 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

Phuket vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,840 in Dammam 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: $733 in Phuket versus $438 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,227 in Dammam – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 71% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,265 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, Phuket and Dammam 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 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.