Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,336 per month in Dhahran vs $1,497 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Dhahran vs $2,340 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,675 per month in Dhahran vs $3,184 in Taipei, rent included.

Dhahran is about 11% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Dhahran sits 1% below the global median, while Taipei is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 SAR 19.45

$6.83 NT$216

-24.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.78 SAR 149

$39.89 NT$1,261

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 SAR 27.17

$5.74 NT$182

26.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.05

$3.82 NT$121

-2.09%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.61

$1.18 NT$37.35

-40.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$0.74 NT$23.45

-77.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 NT$109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NT$106

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$3.15 NT$99.7

-50.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.89 NT$59.8

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$3.14 NT$99.1

-34.08%

Eggs

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.83 NT$89.4

-19.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 SAR 25.49

$20.13 NT$636

-66.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 SAR 32.91

$9.90 NT$313

-11.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 SAR 51.9

$20.51 NT$649

-32.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$5.30 NT$167

-58.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$2.95 NT$93.4

-51.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.81 NT$88.8

-43.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$4.20 NT$133

-67.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.45

$2.91 NT$91.9

-59.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$2.22 NT$70.0

-57.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.00

$1.97 NT$62.2

-45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.14

$1.32 NT$41.82

-56.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.71 SAR 17.68

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.40 SAR 35.28

$3.97 NT$125

136.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 NT$451

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.84 NT$26.53

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.10 SAR 150

$40.75 NT$1,288

-1.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$2.93 NT$92.6

-53.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 SAR 9.14

$0.74 NT$23.28

228.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.47

$10.29 NT$325

28.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.02 NT$32.25

-38.24%

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

$32.5K SAR 121.8K

$37.5K NT$1.2M

-13.43%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.5K

$27.1K NT$855.9K

-9.97%

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

$107 SAR 403

$83.9 NT$2,653

28.08%

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

$37.29 SAR 140

$18.55 NT$587

101.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 SAR 269

$24.94 NT$788

187.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$190 SAR 714

$41.43 NT$1,310

358.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.95 SAR 131

$13.55 NT$428

157.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 SAR 44.14

$11.89 NT$376

-1.09%

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

$402 SAR 1,510

$624 NT$19.7K

-35.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

$18.7K NT$591.8K

-47.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$59.6 NT$1,884

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.8 SAR 284

$33.93 NT$1,073

123.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 SAR 313

$94.1 NT$2,975

-11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 SAR 366

$125 NT$3,941

-21.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,680

$782 NT$24.7K

-42.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$552 NT$17.5K

-31.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 SAR 3,189

$1,678 NT$53.1K

-49.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 SAR 2,305

$1,088 NT$34.4K

-43.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,104 SAR 4,142

$13.7K NT$431.7K

-91.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 SAR 4,074

$8,549 NT$270.3K

-87.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

$1,788 NT$56.5K

60.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

2.19

101.83%

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

Last update for Dhahran: June 7, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Dhahran versus $782 in Taipei. 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 60% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dhahran versus $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $401 – 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

Dhahran vs Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei costs about 12% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,005 per month in Dhahran and $2,246 in Taipei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, 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 $1,336 in Dhahran and $1,497 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Dhahran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,336, than in Taipei at $1,497. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhahran – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dhahran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.