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 $1,194 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 2% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Al-Ula and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Al-Ula 11% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.88

$6.51 SAR 24.46

1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.37 SAR 167

$39.65 SAR 149

11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$7.80 SAR 29.29

-0.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-21.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-15.71%

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.68

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-3.70%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$0.70 SAR 2.64

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.25 SAR 0.94

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.68 SAR 6.32

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.47

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.23 SAR 8.38

3.59%

Eggs

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.63 SAR 9.88

-7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 SAR 27.29

$7.77 SAR 29.19

-6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.38

$12.38 SAR 46.51

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.18 SAR 8.19

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.57 SAR 5.89

5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$1.54 SAR 5.80

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.58 SAR 5.94

1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.25 SAR 4.68

3.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$1.10 SAR 4.15

7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.41

$4.21 SAR 15.79

-34.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-7.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-19.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 SAR 26.56

$6.79 SAR 25.51

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-16.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.36 SAR 152

$39.89 SAR 150

1.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$3.17 SAR 11.90

-17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.85 SAR 6.94

4.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.85

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-11.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.27

$0.60 SAR 2.24

1.67%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.0K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-0.28%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

5.04%

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

$107 SAR 400

$108 SAR 406

-1.46%

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

$33.61 SAR 126

$32.30 SAR 121

4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 SAR 268

$69.6 SAR 261

2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$91.1 SAR 342

-5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.23 SAR 136

$45.14 SAR 170

-19.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.5

$13.21 SAR 49.62

18.02%

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

$354 SAR 1,331

$407 SAR 1,527

-12.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

7.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 SAR 224

$62.7 SAR 236

-4.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$57.9 SAR 217

5.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$94.9 SAR 356

-18.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 SAR 310

$83.8 SAR 315

-1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$507 SAR 1,903

-14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,425

$384 SAR 1,442

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,137

$904 SAR 3,395

-7.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$601 SAR 2,256

2.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 SAR 8,477

$1,646 SAR 6,179

37.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 SAR 5,716

$1,015 SAR 3,813

49.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.5

-1.78%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Al-Ula versus $507 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 $44.00 in Al-Ula versus $40.00 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Al-Ula vs $196 in Jeddah – so Al-Ula 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: $1,194 in Al-Ula, $1,218 in Jeddah – roughly 2% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,791 per month in Al-Ula and $1,827 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 $354 per month in Al-Ula and $407 in Jeddah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Jeddah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,194, than in Jeddah at $1,218. 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.