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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,367 in Jeddah versus $1,160 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Jeddah versus $1,745 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,842 in Jeddah versus $2,330 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Jeddah is roughly 18% more expensive than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeddah 1% lower, Al-hawiyah 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.97

$7.65 SAR 28.72

-13.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 SAR 200

$35.06 SAR 132

51.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 SAR 31.31

$7.51 SAR 28.19

11.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$1.87 SAR 7.03

34.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$2.10 SAR 7.88

27.14%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.31

$3.55 SAR 13.34

-0.28%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$0.75 SAR 2.80

34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.24 SAR 0.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.48 SAR 5.55

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.14 SAR 4.29

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.03 SAR 7.61

9.85%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-2.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$7.50 SAR 28.18

-12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.17

$9.10 SAR 34.18

-11.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 SAR 48.51

$12.05 SAR 45.27

7.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$2.43 SAR 9.14

-12.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.90 SAR 7.15

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.50 SAR 5.63

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-7.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.18 SAR 4.42

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.33 SAR 4.98

1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.01

$0.49 SAR 1.83

10.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.68

$3.08 SAR 11.58

35.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.60 SAR 6.01

15.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$1.87 SAR 7.02

33.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 SAR 24.94

$7.28 SAR 27.35

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.06 SAR 3.98

7.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 SAR 208

$34.68 SAR 130

59.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 SAR 12.06

$2.53 SAR 9.51

26.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.87 SAR 7.02

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.94 SAR 52.4

$13.31 SAR 49.97

4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.68 SAR 2.57

-11.76%

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

$48.1K SAR 180.7K

$51.5K SAR 193.2K

-6.49%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-9.28%

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

$100 SAR 377

$96.1 SAR 361

4.52%

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

$37.60 SAR 141

$35.07 SAR 132

7.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 SAR 249

$75.0 SAR 282

-11.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 SAR 331

$73.8 SAR 277

19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.96 SAR 154

$36.53 SAR 137

12.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 SAR 45.11

$14.42 SAR 54.2

-16.71%

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

$720 SAR 2,703

$307 SAR 1,154

134.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K SAR 59.2K

$7,609 SAR 28.6K

107.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$56.9 SAR 214

21.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 SAR 221

$62.7 SAR 236

-6.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SAR 369

$95.3 SAR 358

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 SAR 364

$76.5 SAR 287

26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 SAR 2,886

$579 SAR 2,174

32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,965

$330 SAR 1,241

58.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SAR 5,041

$789 SAR 2,963

70.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 SAR 3,207

$596 SAR 2,237

43.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 SAR 6,504

$2,128 SAR 7,994

-18.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 SAR 4,247

$1,547 SAR 5,811

-26.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 SAR 6,090

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.47

-1.46%

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

Last update for Jeddah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $769 in Jeddah and $579 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Jeddah vs $35.00 in Al-hawiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $203, with Jeddah cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Jeddah and Al-hawiyah differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,367 vs $1,160 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,050 in Jeddah and $1,739 in Al-hawiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $769 in Jeddah versus $579 in Al-hawiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-hawiyah – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $53.0 in Jeddah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,367 per month in Jeddah versus $1,160 in Al-hawiyah – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,160 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,367 in Jeddah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-hawiyah but tight or insufficient in Jeddah. The gap between the two cities makes Al-hawiyah 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, Jeddah and Al-hawiyah 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 Al-hawiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.