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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Taipei costs about 11% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 NT$209

$5.18 SAR 19.42

27.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.06 NT$1,300

$40.60 SAR 152

1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$178

$7.39 SAR 27.72

-24.09%

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

$3.86 NT$122

$3.66 SAR 13.71

5.46%

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

$1.12 NT$35.61

$0.68 SAR 2.53

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.25

$0.15 SAR 0.58

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 NT$105

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NT$108

Milk (1 liter)

$3.27 NT$104

$1.49 SAR 5.60

119.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.5

$1.19 SAR 4.44

60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.2

$2.16 SAR 8.10

44.91%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.7

$2.35 SAR 8.81

24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$640

$6.84 SAR 25.66

195.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NT$308

$9.04 SAR 33.90

7.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.05 NT$635

$13.62 SAR 51.1

47.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 NT$161

$2.15 SAR 8.07

137.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.7

$1.43 SAR 5.37

109.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.6

$1.63 SAR 6.13

77.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 NT$131

$1.30 SAR 4.89

218.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$1.19 SAR 4.46

147.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.5

$0.97 SAR 3.62

122.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$1.10 SAR 4.12

70.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.04

$0.63 SAR 2.36

111.11%

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)

$4.14 NT$131

$9.16 SAR 34.35

-54.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 NT$468

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$57.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.74

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-26.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 NT$1,280

$40.46 SAR 152

-0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$1.30 SAR 4.86

126.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.16

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-69.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 NT$327

$13.23 SAR 49.60

-21.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.80

$0.64 SAR 2.40

67.19%

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

$38.2K NT$1.2M

$32.1K SAR 120.4K

18.79%

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

$27.5K NT$870.8K

$24.0K SAR 89.9K

14.75%

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

$83.9 NT$2,655

$104 SAR 389

-19.23%

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

$18.83 NT$596

$36.93 SAR 139

-49.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 NT$775

$73.4 SAR 275

-66.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.71 NT$1,320

$183 SAR 687

-77.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.81 NT$437

$36.13 SAR 135

-61.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$379

$12.17 SAR 45.65

-1.56%

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

$646 NT$20.4K

$414 SAR 1,553

55.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K NT$596.7K

$9,934 SAR 37.3K

89.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,858

$59.4 SAR 223

-1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 NT$1,044

$75.7 SAR 284

-56.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 NT$2,930

$82.9 SAR 311

11.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,822

$96.0 SAR 360

25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.2K

$433 SAR 1,625

83.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 NT$17.0K

$387 SAR 1,450

39.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NT$52.3K

$852 SAR 3,195

93.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 NT$35.0K

$631 SAR 2,366

75.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K NT$448.0K

$2,375 SAR 8,905

496.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,454 NT$267.6K

$1,329 SAR 4,982

536.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 NT$52.4K

$2,879 SAR 10.8K

-42.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

4.42

-50.45%

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

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $433 in Dhahran. 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 Taipei versus $41.00 in Dhahran. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Taipei vs $201 in Dhahran – so Dhahran wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Taipei vs Dhahran: 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 $2,200 per month in Taipei and $1,988 in Dhahran. 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 $1,466 in Taipei and $1,326 in Dhahran. 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.