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 $1,197 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,832 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Al-Ula and Jeddah have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Al-Ula and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Al-Ula 11% lower, Jeddah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$6.54 SAR 24.53

2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.97 SAR 169

$40.72 SAR 153

10.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 SAR 29.34

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-4.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$2.19 SAR 8.23

-19.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.02

$3.58 SAR 13.44

4.47%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$0.70 SAR 2.64

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.25 SAR 0.94

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$0.96 SAR 3.58

-1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.30 SAR 8.61

0.43%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.75 SAR 10.34

-12.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 SAR 25.02

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 SAR 28.94

$7.64 SAR 28.69

0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 48.97

$12.34 SAR 46.33

5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.16 SAR 8.12

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.57 SAR 5.90

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.55 SAR 5.82

8.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.54 SAR 5.78

1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.21 SAR 4.54

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.05 SAR 3.96

17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.60 SAR 2.23

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

$4.08 SAR 15.31

-29.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-9.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SAR 26.98

$6.76 SAR 25.36

6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.67 SAR 153

$39.64 SAR 149

2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$3.23 SAR 12.13

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$1.88 SAR 7.06

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-11.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-3.17%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

0.10%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

6.08%

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

$103 SAR 388

$105 SAR 393

-1.34%

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

$33.67 SAR 126

$32.31 SAR 121

4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$70.1 SAR 263

2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 SAR 326

$90.9 SAR 341

-4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$45.17 SAR 170

-20.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.87 SAR 59.5

$13.12 SAR 49.25

20.96%

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

$354 SAR 1,330

$400 SAR 1,500

-11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

8.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$64.6 SAR 242

-6.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$58.1 SAR 218

1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 SAR 295

$92.5 SAR 347

-14.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 SAR 313

$84.4 SAR 317

-1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 SAR 1,667

$501 SAR 1,881

-11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$390 SAR 1,464

-4.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 SAR 3,238

$899 SAR 3,374

-4.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$618 SAR 2,321

-0.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,395 SAR 8,988

$1,625 SAR 6,100

47.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,347 SAR 5,057

$1,014 SAR 3,805

32.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 SAR 6,218

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Al-Ula versus $501 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 $45.00 in Al-Ula versus $41.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $196 – making Jeddah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Al-Ula and $1,803 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Jeddah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $354 per month in Al-Ula and $400 in Jeddah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,197, than in Jeddah at $1,202. 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.