Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Delhi

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $522 a month against $1,317 in Dhahran, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Dhahran
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,317
/mo nomad
Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$522
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhahran and in Delhi

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

A single person spends $1,317 per month in Dhahran vs $522 in Delhi, rent included.

  • Dhahran $1,317
  • Delhi $522

A couple spends around $1,671 per month in Dhahran vs $872 in Delhi, rent included.

  • Dhahran $1,671
  • Delhi $872

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Dhahran vs $1,222 in Delhi, rent included.

  • Dhahran $2,026
  • Delhi $1,222

Dhahran costs about 152% more than Delhi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Dhahran and Delhi are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 2% lower, Delhi 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.30 SAR 19.90
$3.70 ₹351
43.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.17 SAR 147
$21.05 ₹1,999
86.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.35 SAR 23.81
$3.73 ₹354
70.24%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 SAR 6.80
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 SAR 5.96
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.01 SAR 15.03
$2.35 ₹223
70.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 SAR 2.76
$0.37 ₹35.21
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.19 SAR 0.70
$0.15 ₹13.93
26.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.14 ₹203
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.06 ₹291
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 SAR 6.18
$0.69 ₹65.1
139.13%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 SAR 3.62
$0.53 ₹50.0
83.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 SAR 7.41
$0.77 ₹73.1
155.84%
Eggs
$3.87 SAR 14.54
$1.11 ₹105
248.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.59 SAR 32.23
$4.63 ₹440
85.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.92 SAR 40.97
$3.52 ₹334
210.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.89 SAR 52.1
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 SAR 8.07
$2.00 ₹190
7.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 SAR 5.21
$0.74 ₹70.5
87.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 SAR 6.69
$0.97 ₹92.6
83.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 SAR 6.74
$0.53 ₹49.92
239.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 SAR 5.61
$0.30 ₹28.61
400.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.96 SAR 3.61
$0.40 ₹37.82
140.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 SAR 7.39
$0.42 ₹39.62
369.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 SAR 3.19
$0.31 ₹29.81
174.19%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$4.81 SAR 18.03
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 SAR 6.15
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 SAR 9.22
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.57 SAR 20.92
$4.94 ₹469
12.75%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$8.21 ₹779
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 ₹150
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.69 ₹255
-
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.19 ₹588
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 SAR 3.11
$0.46 ₹43.46
80.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$15.78 ₹1,498
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 SAR 5.12
$1.07 ₹102
27.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 SAR 12.21
$0.27 ₹25.66
1103.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.52 SAR 35.73
$1.58 ₹150
502.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 SAR 2.44
$1.07 ₹101
-39.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$53.2K SAR 199.7K
$10.7K ₹1.0M
399.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K SAR 77.6K
$18.9K ₹1.8M
9.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.0 SAR 221
$42.37 ₹4,024
39.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.19 SAR 158
$4.03 ₹383
946.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.9 SAR 244
$6.95 ₹660
834.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$195 SAR 731
$19.18 ₹1,821
915.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$93.5 SAR 351
$7.92 ₹752
1080.81%
Cinema Ticket
$10.56 SAR 39.62
$5.27 ₹500
100.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$65.3 SAR 245
$100 ₹9,525
-34.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K SAR 49.8K
$2,247 ₹213.4K
490.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.6 SAR 190
$24.11 ₹2,290
109.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.79 SAR 157
$27.85 ₹2,645
50.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.9 SAR 289
$52.4 ₹4,977
46.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 SAR 339
$42.90 ₹4,074
110.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$361 SAR 1,355
$267 ₹25.4K
35.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$453 SAR 1,700
$156 ₹14.8K
190.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$734 ₹69.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$394 ₹37.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,507 ₹238.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,020 ₹96.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dhahran
Delhi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,785 SAR 10.5K
$608 ₹57.7K
358.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.5
8.33
-45.98%

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

Last update for Dhahran: October 11, 2026

Last update for Delhi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dhahran
$453
Delhi
$156 65.6% $297
Groceries & Markets
Dhahran
$231
Delhi
$109 52.9% $122
Sport & Entertainment
Dhahran
$216
Delhi
$30 86.2% $186
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dhahran
$166
Delhi
$53 67.9% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Dhahran
$117
Delhi
$66 43.3% $51
Eating Out
Dhahran
$113
Delhi
$88 22.4% $25
Getting Around
Dhahran
$21 *
Delhi
$20 4.3% $0.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Dhahran versus $267 in Delhi. 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 358% 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 $39.00 in Dhahran versus $21.00 in Delhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $109 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Dhahran
🇮🇳 Delhi
🕒 Local time
04:33 4:33 AM
07:03 7:03 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Dhahran
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
120,521
16,787,941 Capital
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dhahran Delhi 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dhahran
  • Delhi

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
Dhahran vs Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Dhahran and in Delhi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,317 in Dhahran, $522 in Delhi – roughly 152% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.
What salary covers living expenses in Dhahran compared to Delhi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,976 per month in Dhahran and $783 in Delhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Dhahran and Delhi?
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 is more expensive overall: Dhahran or Delhi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,317 in Dhahran and $522 in Delhi. That's a gap of about 152%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Dhahran and Delhi?
Kindergarten costs $65.3 per month in Dhahran and $100 in Delhi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
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 $522, than in Dhahran at $1,317. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Dhahran or Delhi?
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 Dhahran or Delhi 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 Dhahran and Delhi?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. 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.

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