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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,306 per month in Dhahran vs $1,477 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Dhahran vs $2,378 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,708 per month in Dhahran vs $3,278 in Taipei, rent included.

Dhahran is about 12% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Dhahran sits 2% below the global median, while Taipei is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 SAR 20.12

$6.59 NT$213

-18.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.39 SAR 148

$40.77 NT$1,319

-3.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$5.89 NT$191

22.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.86

$3.76 NT$122

-1.86%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.79

$1.17 NT$37.95

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 SAR 0.69

$0.78 NT$25.27

-76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 NT$111

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 NT$111

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SAR 5.65

$3.10 NT$100

-51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.98 NT$64.1

-37.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$3.08 NT$99.5

-29.87%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.92 NT$94.5

-17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$20.15 NT$652

-66.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 SAR 32.69

$9.63 NT$311

-9.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 SAR 51.8

$20.23 NT$654

-31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$5.13 NT$166

-57.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$2.91 NT$94.1

-50.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.77 NT$89.5

-42.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$4.10 NT$133

-66.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.40

$2.93 NT$94.7

-60.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$2.28 NT$73.7

-59.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.90 NT$61.6

-44.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$1.33 NT$42.87

-52.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.70 SAR 17.64

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 SAR 35.50

$4.05 NT$131

133.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 NT$459

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NT$58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$76.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.81 NT$26.30

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.41 SAR 152

$40.31 NT$1,304

0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 SAR 5.05

$2.82 NT$91.2

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 SAR 9.12

$0.74 NT$24.10

228.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$10.21 NT$330

31.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.02 NT$33.07

-41.18%

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

$31.5K SAR 118.2K

$37.8K NT$1.2M

-16.66%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.5K

$27.2K NT$881.1K

-12.45%

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

$106 SAR 398

$84.3 NT$2,725

25.89%

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

$36.53 SAR 137

$19.10 NT$618

91.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$25.11 NT$812

187.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$188 SAR 704

$40.70 NT$1,317

360.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 SAR 132

$13.91 NT$450

152.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 SAR 45.70

$12.00 NT$388

1.42%

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

$403 SAR 1,512

$634 NT$20.5K

-36.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,834 SAR 36.9K

$18.4K NT$596.6K

-46.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$58.9 NT$1,906

0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.0 SAR 285

$33.91 NT$1,097

124.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 SAR 320

$93.1 NT$3,012

-8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$123 NT$3,971

-19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,631

$794 NT$25.7K

-45.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 SAR 1,449

$547 NT$17.7K

-29.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,140

$1,628 NT$52.7K

-48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 SAR 2,292

$1,095 NT$35.4K

-44.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,112 SAR 4,176

$12.7K NT$411.7K

-91.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,068 SAR 4,008

$7,583 NT$245.3K

-85.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,874 SAR 10.8K

$1,705 NT$55.1K

68.59%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Taipei: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Dhahran versus $794 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 69% 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 $39.00 in Dhahran versus $41.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $398 – 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 13% 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 $1,958 per month in Dhahran and $2,216 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 $1,306 in Dhahran and $1,477 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 $1,306, than in Taipei at $1,477. 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.