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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Jeddah costs about 16% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$6.84 SAR 25.69

-2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$36.74 SAR 138

44.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$8.02 SAR 30.10

1.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

$1.61 SAR 6.05

55.90%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$1.98 SAR 7.44

36.36%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.28

$3.39 SAR 12.74

4.42%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.77

$0.88 SAR 3.30

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.24 SAR 0.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.66 SAR 6.23

3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.22 SAR 8.33

-0.90%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.91

$2.35 SAR 8.81

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 SAR 23.86

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-14.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 SAR 31.17

$7.80 SAR 29.28

6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.13

$12.87 SAR 48.33

1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$2.15 SAR 8.08

-9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$1.59 SAR 5.98

-4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.15 SAR 4.30

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.14 SAR 4.28

-7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.02

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

$2.86 SAR 10.73

46.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.69 SAR 6.34

7.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$2.10 SAR 7.89

18.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 SAR 24.21

$6.60 SAR 24.78

-2.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$1.07 SAR 4.02

1.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 SAR 206

$36.60 SAR 137

49.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.80

$3.01 SAR 11.29

4.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.91 SAR 52.2

$13.27 SAR 49.84

4.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.60 SAR 2.24

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

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

5.15%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-0.26%

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

$102 SAR 384

$102 SAR 382

0.49%

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

$38.54 SAR 145

$32.80 SAR 123

17.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$66.9 SAR 251

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$83.1 SAR 312

4.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.18 SAR 155

$36.63 SAR 138

12.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 SAR 44.56

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-11.62%

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

$728 SAR 2,733

$342 SAR 1,284

112.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

145.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 SAR 259

$50.8 SAR 191

35.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 224

$59.3 SAR 223

0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$88.7 SAR 333

9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 SAR 2,904

$571 SAR 2,142

35.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SAR 1,994

$346 SAR 1,300

53.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 SAR 5,497

$872 SAR 3,273

67.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 SAR 3,121

$553 SAR 2,077

50.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 SAR 6,555

$2,347 SAR 8,812

-25.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,145 SAR 4,301

$1,379 SAR 5,179

-16.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,664 SAR 6,249

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Jeddah versus $571 in Al-Ula. 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 $53.0 in Jeddah versus $37.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $198 in Al-Ula – 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Jeddah and $1,753 in Al-Ula. 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 $728 per month in Jeddah and $342 in Al-Ula. 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.