Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Al Khobar versus $976 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,207 in Al Khobar versus $1,489 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,010 in Al Khobar versus $2,003 in Mecca.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 44% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Mecca is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 SAR 25.77

$4.48 SAR 16.81

53.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 SAR 225

$26.73 SAR 100

123.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.62

$6.77 SAR 25.43

16.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 SAR 10.32

$1.59 SAR 5.96

72.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$1.55 SAR 5.80

69.03%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.28

$2.64 SAR 9.90

64.39%

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

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.68 SAR 2.55

42.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.23 SAR 0.86

78.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$0.98 SAR 3.66

34.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 SAR 9.30

$2.09 SAR 7.86

18.66%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$2.44 SAR 9.17

-4.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.20

$6.26 SAR 23.52

15.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.82

$7.82 SAR 29.34

28.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 SAR 43.40

$12.82 SAR 48.12

-9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.45

$2.03 SAR 7.63

36.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.64 SAR 6.15

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.54 SAR 5.79

29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$1.70 SAR 6.37

8.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.19 SAR 4.48

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.37 SAR 5.15

20.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.06 SAR 3.97

57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.16

$0.46 SAR 1.74

26.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

$4.21 SAR 15.81

-36.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.86 SAR 6.99

-10.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-12.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$6.84 SAR 25.69

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SAR 2.95

$1.30 SAR 4.89

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 SAR 251

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 SAR 12.86

$1.85 SAR 6.96

85.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.72 SAR 6.45

58.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.76

$13.30 SAR 49.92

-50.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$67.6K SAR 254.0K

$47.5K SAR 178.5K

42.25%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$21.2K SAR 79.5K

5.75%

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

$97.5 SAR 366

$74.2 SAR 279

31.28%

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

$33.42 SAR 125

$34.96 SAR 131

-4.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 267

$65.1 SAR 244

9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.8 SAR 307

$78.4 SAR 295

4.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 SAR 135

$35.11 SAR 132

2.71%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 SAR 57.3

$11.93 SAR 44.81

27.91%

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

$613 SAR 2,301

$399 SAR 1,497

53.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,518 SAR 32.0K

$4,476 SAR 16.8K

90.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$23.05 SAR 86.5

180.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.7 SAR 318

$59.7 SAR 224

41.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$48.63 SAR 183

99.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 SAR 346

$50.0 SAR 188

84.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$589 SAR 2,210

9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,870

$314 SAR 1,181

58.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 SAR 4,398

$1,521 SAR 5,712

-23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 SAR 3,256

$510 SAR 1,917

69.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,415 SAR 9,069

$6,400 SAR 24.0K

-62.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,474 SAR 5,534

$2,316 SAR 8,696

-36.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 SAR 6,824

$1,100 SAR 4,130

65.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.25

12.00%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mecca: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $589 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $192 per month, with Mecca cheaper across the board.

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

Al Khobar vs Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mecca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Al Khobar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $645 in Al Khobar versus $589 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $613 in Al Khobar versus $399 in Mecca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mecca – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $60.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $976 in Mecca versus $1,404 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Mecca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.