Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,362 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,108 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,365 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,855 in Jeddah, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 14% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Al-Ula and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Al-Ula 15% lower, Jeddah 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$6.69 SAR 25.13

2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 SAR 138

$53.1 SAR 199

-30.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.10

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-1.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.51 SAR 9.42

-35.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.74

$3.54 SAR 13.28

-4.24%

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

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$1.00 SAR 3.77

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.24 SAR 0.89

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.01 SAR 3.80

0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.20 SAR 8.27

0.91%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.37 SAR 8.91

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$6.36 SAR 23.86

16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$8.30 SAR 31.17

-6.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 SAR 48.33

$13.08 SAR 49.13

-1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$1.95 SAR 7.33

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.66 SAR 6.25

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.52 SAR 5.72

4.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.66 SAR 6.23

0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.16 SAR 4.37

-0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.29 SAR 4.83

1.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$1.06 SAR 3.98

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.54 SAR 2.02

9.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

$4.20 SAR 15.78

-31.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-7.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-15.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$6.45 SAR 24.21

2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.60 SAR 137

$54.9 SAR 206

-33.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$3.14 SAR 11.80

-4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.75 SAR 6.58

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.84

$13.91 SAR 52.2

-4.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.60 SAR 2.25

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

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

-4.90%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

0.26%

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

$102 SAR 382

$102 SAR 384

-0.49%

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

$32.80 SAR 123

$38.54 SAR 145

-14.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$67.6 SAR 254

-1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$87.1 SAR 327

-4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.63 SAR 138

$41.18 SAR 155

-11.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$11.87 SAR 44.56

13.14%

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

$342 SAR 1,284

$728 SAR 2,733

-53.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

-59.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$68.9 SAR 259

-26.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$59.8 SAR 224

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$97.4 SAR 366

-8.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,142

$773 SAR 2,904

-26.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$531 SAR 1,994

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SAR 3,273

$1,464 SAR 5,497

-40.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,077

$831 SAR 3,121

-33.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 SAR 8,812

$1,746 SAR 6,555

34.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$1,145 SAR 4,301

20.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,664 SAR 6,249

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.39

1.48%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Al-Ula versus $773 in Jeddah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Al-Ula versus $53.0 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Al-Ula vs $196 in Jeddah – so Jeddah 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

Al-Ula vs Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,169 in Al-Ula, $1,362 in Jeddah – roughly 16% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Al-Ula and $2,043 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $342 per month in Al-Ula and $728 in Jeddah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Jeddah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Jeddah at $1,362. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-Ula – 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 Al-Ula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.