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: $1,177 in Saudi Arabia versus $389 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in Saudi Arabia versus $618 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,426 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 $896 to $1,776, compared to $267–$883 in India. City choice carries more weight in Saudi Arabia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 SAR 24.90

$2.62 ₹249

153.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 SAR 147

$13.81 ₹1,313

184.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.11

$4.03 ₹383

99.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

Cappuccino

$3.71 SAR 13.91

$1.81 ₹173

104.97%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.74

$0.44 ₹41.73

65.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.02

$0.19 ₹18.21

42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ₹183

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹324

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$0.71 ₹67.6

142.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.52 ₹49.46

86.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$0.67 ₹63.8

226.87%

Eggs

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$1.00 ₹95.0

159.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.70

$5.44 ₹517

30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.14

$3.22 ₹307

149.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 SAR 49.68

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.30

$2.16 ₹206

2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$0.70 ₹66.6

128.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.05 ₹99.6

53.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$0.54 ₹51.0

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.00

$0.43 ₹40.49

209.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$0.49 ₹46.19

165.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$0.55 ₹52.0

125.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.12

$0.35 ₹33.40

62.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.49 SAR 28.13

$3.97 ₹377

88.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 ₹712

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₹182

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₹278

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

$5.89 ₹560

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.33 ₹31.64

215.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.69 SAR 141

$9.82 ₹934

283.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

$0.91 ₹86.5

185.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$0.28 ₹26.23

867.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$1.76 ₹167

667.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.22 ₹116

-46.72%

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

$25.8K SAR 96.8K

$13.8K ₹1.3M

87.42%

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

$22.1K SAR 83.0K

$22.8K ₹2.2M

-2.87%

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

$105 SAR 395

$40.60 ₹3,862

159.38%

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

$34.22 SAR 128

$3.90 ₹370

777.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$8.00 ₹761

796.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 SAR 348

$15.96 ₹1,518

480.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.55 SAR 156

$7.79 ₹741

433.38%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 SAR 59.0

$3.58 ₹340

338.83%

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

$348 SAR 1,305

$69.7 ₹6,628

398.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,206 SAR 27.0K

$1,809 ₹172.0K

298.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 197

$25.66 ₹2,440

104.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 SAR 216

$27.13 ₹2,580

111.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 SAR 354

$46.37 ₹4,410

103.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 SAR 313

$32.55 ₹3,095

156.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 SAR 1,827

$175 ₹16.6K

178.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,488

$114 ₹10.8K

247.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 SAR 3,364

$401 ₹38.1K

123.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 SAR 2,341

$259 ₹24.6K

140.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 SAR 8,521

$1,220 ₹116.1K

86.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,238 SAR 4,645

$629 ₹59.8K

96.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 SAR 7,296

$428 ₹40.7K

354.34%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for India: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $419 in Saudi Arabia, $126 in India. Capital cities: $1,083 in Riyadh vs $236 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $1,998 in Saudi Arabia, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 233% 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 $575 per month in India and $1,336 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 132% 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.