Cost of Living Comparison Between Saudi Arabia and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Saudi Arabia and India

Name: India
Address: IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Saudi Arabia versus $389 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,800 in Saudi Arabia versus $618 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,422 in Saudi Arabia versus $846 in India.

Living in Saudi Arabia is roughly 203% more expensive than India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saudi Arabia 12% lower, India 71% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saudi Arabia: monthly costs span $918 to $1,790, compared to $270–$887 in India. City choice carries more weight in Saudi Arabia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 SAR 24.76

$2.58 ₹244

155.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.41 SAR 152

$14.07 ₹1,332

187.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.08

$4.14 ₹392

93.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

Cappuccino

$3.65 SAR 13.67

$1.81 ₹171

101.66%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.43 ₹40.80

69.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.16 ₹15.44

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 ₹186

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₹329

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$0.72 ₹68.3

131.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$0.49 ₹46.06

110.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.06

$0.67 ₹63.6

220.90%

Eggs

$2.57 SAR 9.63

$0.99 ₹93.7

159.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.68

$5.14 ₹487

43.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 30.97

$3.20 ₹303

158.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 SAR 48.04

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$2.21 ₹209

-2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$0.70 ₹66.1

131.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.05 ₹99.0

62.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$0.53 ₹49.89

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.77

$0.43 ₹40.45

195.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$0.49 ₹45.99

165.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.51

$0.52 ₹49.05

130.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.31

$0.32 ₹30.71

93.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.36 SAR 27.61

$4.13 ₹390

78.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 ₹714

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₹172

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹273

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.63 ₹533

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.34 ₹31.76

208.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.94 SAR 139

$9.70 ₹918

280.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.06

$0.97 ₹91.5

176.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.95

$0.28 ₹26.17

846.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$1.70 ₹160

696.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.23 ₹117

-52.03%

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

$25.1K SAR 94.0K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

82.62%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.5K

$23.0K ₹2.2M

-4.50%

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

$105 SAR 394

$40.37 ₹3,819

160.19%

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

$33.52 SAR 126

$3.90 ₹369

759.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 SAR 273

$7.98 ₹755

810.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 357

$16.26 ₹1,538

485.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 SAR 155

$7.63 ₹722

442.33%

Cinema Ticket

$16.21 SAR 60.8

$3.56 ₹336

355.34%

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

$352 SAR 1,322

$70.8 ₹6,695

398.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,166 SAR 26.9K

$1,810 ₹171.2K

295.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 SAR 194

$24.95 ₹2,361

107.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 222

$26.83 ₹2,539

120.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 SAR 352

$45.39 ₹4,294

106.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 SAR 308

$33.38 ₹3,159

145.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 SAR 1,783

$173 ₹16.3K

175.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 SAR 1,527

$113 ₹10.7K

260.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 SAR 3,320

$412 ₹39.0K

114.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 SAR 2,379

$257 ₹24.3K

146.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 SAR 8,636

$1,260 ₹119.2K

82.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 SAR 4,793

$631 ₹59.7K

102.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,034 SAR 7,626

$432 ₹40.9K

371.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.65

9.02

-48.45%

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

Last update for Saudi Arabia: April 25, 2026

Last update for India: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $418 in Saudi Arabia, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,103 in Riyadh vs $242 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $2,012 in Saudi Arabia, $401 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 229% higher in Saudi Arabia.

Dining out costs 264% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 344% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 402% higher in Saudi Arabia, giving Saudi Arabia stronger purchasing power.

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

Saudi Arabia vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $579 per month in India and $1,354 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 134% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

India is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Saudi Arabia beats India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Saudi Arabia, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. India wins on affordability; Saudi Arabia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.