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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,207 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,868 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$6.73 SAR 25.28

-32.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$40.67 SAR 153

14.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$7.79 SAR 29.26

8.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$3.64 SAR 13.67

-16.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$0.81 SAR 3.05

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.30 SAR 1.14

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$1.64 SAR 6.15

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$1.02 SAR 3.82

86.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-6.78%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$6.90 SAR 25.90

189.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$7.53 SAR 28.26

-51.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$12.74 SAR 47.85

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.34 SAR 8.79

38.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$1.57 SAR 5.90

52.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.57 SAR 5.88

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$1.23 SAR 4.61

29.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$1.33 SAR 5.01

11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-24.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-10.34%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$7.25 SAR 27.22

-41.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

$1.08 SAR 4.06

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

$39.81 SAR 149

-71.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$2.73 SAR 10.27

15.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$1.91 SAR 7.15

-45.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$13.59 SAR 51.0

1.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$0.60 SAR 2.24

123.33%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

2.44%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

47.64%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$106 SAR 399

16.27%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$33.85 SAR 127

-60.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$70.6 SAR 265

-73.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

$95.4 SAR 358

-35.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

$34.96 SAR 131

-50.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$14.40 SAR 54.1

-36.53%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$355 SAR 1,332

98.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

107.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$55.8 SAR 209

6.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$62.7 SAR 235

-44.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$85.0 SAR 319

35.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$80.3 SAR 301

4.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

$430 SAR 1,613

43.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

$373 SAR 1,401

15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

$874 SAR 3,283

135.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

$632 SAR 2,372

139.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

$1,778 SAR 6,677

105.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

$1,106 SAR 4,154

137.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.42

20.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $430 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $198 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

Phuket vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,810 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: $619 in Phuket versus $430 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,207 in Dammam – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 250% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,207 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, 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 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.