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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,326 per month in Dhahran vs $1,466 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,981 per month in Dhahran vs $2,363 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Dhahran vs $3,259 in Taipei, rent included.

Dhahran is about 10% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Dhahran sits 1% below the global median, while Taipei is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 SAR 19.42

$6.61 NT$209

-21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.60 SAR 152

$41.06 NT$1,296

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 SAR 27.72

$5.61 NT$177

31.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Cappuccino

$3.66 SAR 13.71

$3.86 NT$122

-5.18%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.53

$1.12 NT$35.52

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 SAR 0.58

$0.80 NT$25.18

-81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$105

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$108

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$3.27 NT$103

-54.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 SAR 4.44

$1.91 NT$60.4

-37.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$3.13 NT$98.9

-30.99%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.93 NT$92.5

-19.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 SAR 25.66

$20.24 NT$639

-66.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.04 SAR 33.90

$9.73 NT$307

-7.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 SAR 51.1

$20.05 NT$633

-32.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$5.10 NT$161

-57.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$2.99 NT$94.5

-52.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$2.89 NT$91.4

-43.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$4.14 NT$131

-68.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$2.94 NT$92.7

-59.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 SAR 3.62

$2.16 NT$68.3

-55.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.88 NT$59.3

-41.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.33 NT$41.93

-52.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.25

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.16 SAR 34.35

$4.14 NT$131

121.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$467

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.81 NT$25.67

35.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.46 SAR 152

$40.43 NT$1,277

0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$2.94 NT$92.7

-55.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$0.73 NT$23.11

232.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.23 SAR 49.60

$10.33 NT$326

28.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.07 NT$33.72

-40.19%

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

$32.1K SAR 120.4K

$38.2K NT$1.2M

-15.82%

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

$24.0K SAR 89.9K

$27.5K NT$868.6K

-12.86%

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

$104 SAR 389

$83.9 NT$2,648

23.81%

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

$36.93 SAR 139

$18.83 NT$594

96.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 SAR 275

$24.50 NT$773

199.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$183 SAR 687

$41.71 NT$1,317

339.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.13 SAR 135

$13.81 NT$436

161.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 SAR 45.65

$11.98 NT$378

1.59%

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

$414 SAR 1,553

$646 NT$20.4K

-35.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,934 SAR 37.3K

$18.9K NT$595.2K

-47.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$58.7 NT$1,854

1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.7 SAR 284

$32.99 NT$1,041

129.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 SAR 311

$92.6 NT$2,923

-10.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 SAR 360

$121 NT$3,812

-20.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,625

$795 NT$25.1K

-45.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 SAR 1,450

$538 NT$17.0K

-28.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,195

$1,652 NT$52.2K

-48.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 SAR 2,366

$1,106 NT$34.9K

-42.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 SAR 8,905

$14.2K NT$446.9K

-83.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,329 SAR 4,982

$8,454 NT$266.9K

-84.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,879 SAR 10.8K

$1,657 NT$52.3K

73.73%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Dhahran versus $795 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 74% 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 $41.00 in Dhahran versus $41.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 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 11% 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 $1,988 per month in Dhahran and $2,200 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 $1,326 in Dhahran and $1,466 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% 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 $1,326, than in Taipei at $1,466. 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.