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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,332 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $2,029 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,725 in Dhahran, rent included.

Phuket is about 5% cheaper than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Dhahran are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Dhahran 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.23 SAR 19.64

-10.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$40.50 SAR 152

12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.14 SAR 26.78

18.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.77 SAR 14.14

-22.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.74 SAR 2.78

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.17 SAR 0.63

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.49 SAR 5.60

49.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.17 SAR 4.39

56.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.18 SAR 8.18

-0.46%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-7.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.83 SAR 25.62

189.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.84 SAR 33.18

-58.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.50 SAR 50.7

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.24 SAR 8.41

46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.38 SAR 5.20

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.63 SAR 6.11

47.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.37 SAR 5.13

51.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.23 SAR 4.63

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.89 SAR 3.34

66.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-10.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-53.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.05 SAR 3.93

30.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$40.72 SAR 153

-72.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.35 SAR 5.08

123.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-59.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$13.53 SAR 50.8

4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.65 SAR 2.43

109.23%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

-13.08%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

35.57%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$104 SAR 391

16.87%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$36.18 SAR 136

-62.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$73.6 SAR 276

-75.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$183 SAR 688

-67.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$36.00 SAR 135

-52.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$11.90 SAR 44.66

-26.97%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$414 SAR 1,553

67.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

58.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.4 SAR 223

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$76.7 SAR 288

-54.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$84.4 SAR 317

35.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$97.8 SAR 367

-14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$439 SAR 1,648

39.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$383 SAR 1,436

14.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$836 SAR 3,138

150.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$615 SAR 2,308

145.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

237.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,066 SAR 3,999

145.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-82.44%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $439 in Dhahran. 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 469% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $41.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $200 – 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

Phuket vs Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhahran costs about 5% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,998 in Dhahran. 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $1,332 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 258% 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 $1,265, than in Dhahran at $1,332. 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 $1,265 versus $1,332 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.