Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Medina

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $520 a month against $1,364 in Medina, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$520
/mo nomad
Medina
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,364
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Medina

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Delhi and in Medina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $520 per month in Delhi vs $1,364 in Medina, rent included.

  • Delhi $520
  • Medina $1,364

A couple spends around $858 per month in Delhi vs $1,816 in Medina, rent included.

  • Delhi $858
  • Medina $1,816

A family of three spends $1,195 per month in Delhi vs $2,268 in Medina, rent included.

  • Delhi $1,195
  • Medina $2,268

Delhi is about 62% cheaper than Medina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Delhi sits 61% below the global median, while Medina is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.67 ₹355
$5.53 SAR 20.75
-33.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.95 ₹2,027
$32.09 SAR 120
-34.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.74 ₹362
$8.20 SAR 30.78
-54.39%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.58 SAR 5.93
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.76 SAR 6.62
-
Cappuccino
$2.33 ₹226
$2.70 SAR 10.15
-13.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.82
$0.76 SAR 2.84
-51.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 ₹18.91
$0.25 SAR 0.95
-20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 ₹195
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₹308
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 ₹65.9
$1.49 SAR 5.61
-54.36%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹50.2
$0.92 SAR 3.44
-43.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 ₹80.0
$2.32 SAR 8.70
-64.22%
Eggs
$1.07 ₹104
$2.09 SAR 7.84
-48.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.43 ₹428
$5.44 SAR 20.44
-18.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.37 ₹326
$7.03 SAR 26.39
-52.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.49 SAR 46.90
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 ₹192
$2.42 SAR 9.10
-17.77%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 ₹70.1
$1.98 SAR 7.42
-63.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ₹98.4
$2.29 SAR 8.60
-55.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 ₹50.1
$1.55 SAR 5.83
-66.45%
Potato (1kg)
$0.27 ₹25.96
$1.36 SAR 5.12
-80.15%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₹35.42
$1.37 SAR 5.14
-72.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.64
$0.93 SAR 3.49
-53.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹30.39
$0.71 SAR 2.68
-56.34%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.29 SAR 4.85
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.48 SAR 5.55
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.55 SAR 5.83
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.92 ₹476
$7.54 SAR 28.32
-34.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 ₹808
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₹159
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₹261
-
-
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.15 ₹596
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Medina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₹44.04
$1.05 SAR 3.94
-56.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.29 ₹1,480
$36.80 SAR 138
-58.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹99.8
$1.36 SAR 5.12
-24.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹26.38
$1.68 SAR 6.32
-83.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 ₹148
$5.71 SAR 21.44
-73.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ₹102
$0.64 SAR 2.41
64.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.5K ₹1.0M
$41.8K SAR 157.0K
-74.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K ₹1.8M
$20.7K SAR 77.5K
-11.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.67 ₹4,129
$149 SAR 558
-71.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.04 ₹391
$27.41 SAR 103
-85.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.75 ₹653
$90.7 SAR 341
-92.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.40 ₹1,878
$78.9 SAR 296
-75.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.06 ₹780
$9.01 SAR 33.83
-10.54%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08 ₹492
$13.51 SAR 50.7
-62.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 ₹9,696
$294 SAR 1,103
-65.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,268 ₹219.5K
$5,483 SAR 20.6K
-58.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.14 ₹2,336
$36.85 SAR 138
-34.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.38 ₹2,747
$54.4 SAR 204
-47.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.3 ₹5,160
$67.0 SAR 252
-20.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.13 ₹4,271
$70.0 SAR 263
-36.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Medina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 ₹25.5K
$570 SAR 2,139
-53.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 ₹14.9K
$529 SAR 1,988
-70.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$736 ₹71.2K
$779 SAR 2,926
-5.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$397 ₹38.5K
$573 SAR 2,151
-30.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,494 ₹241.4K
$2,309 SAR 8,670
8.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,017 ₹98.4K
$1,356 SAR 5,091
-25.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Medina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$585 ₹56.7K
$1,244 SAR 4,671
-52.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
4.17
99.76%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 6, 2026

Last update for Medina: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$154
Medina
$529 244% $375
Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$108
Medina
$191 76.6% $83
Eating Out
Delhi
$87
Medina
$105 20.6% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$67
Medina
$103 52.2% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$53
Medina
$267 399% $213
Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$30
Medina
$106 258% $76
Getting Around
Delhi
$20
Medina
$51 160% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Delhi versus $570 in Medina. 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 113% higher in Medina, 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 $21.00 in Delhi versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $191 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Delhi
🇸🇦 Medina
🕒 Local time
18:28 6:28 PM
15:58 3:58 PM
2 h 30 min behind Delhi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,787,941 Capital
1,100,093
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.238 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Delhi Medina 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Delhi
  • Medina

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Delhi vs Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Medina compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $520 in Delhi, $1,364 in Medina – roughly 162% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Medina?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Delhi and $2,047 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Delhi and Medina?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi and $32.00 in Medina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Medina?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Delhi and $1,364 in Medina. That's a gap of about 162%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Medina at $1,364. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Delhi or Medina?
Families tend to lean toward Delhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Delhi or Medina safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Delhi and Medina?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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