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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$6.62 SAR 24.88

-1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$44.37 SAR 167

-10.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$7.75 SAR 29.11

0.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.70 SAR 6.40

27.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$1.77 SAR 6.64

18.64%

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$3.64 SAR 13.67

3.85%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.80 SAR 3.01

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.92 SAR 3.47

2.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-3.46%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.43 SAR 9.13

8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$7.03 SAR 26.40

5.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$7.27 SAR 27.29

6.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.50

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.16 SAR 8.13

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-1.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.24 SAR 4.67

7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.29 SAR 4.84

-3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.54 SAR 2.04

1.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

$2.77 SAR 10.41

51.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.75 SAR 6.58

8.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$2.00 SAR 7.51

24.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$7.07 SAR 26.56

-3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.09 SAR 4.08

19.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$40.36 SAR 152

-1.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$2.62 SAR 9.85

20.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-4.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$13.27 SAR 49.84

13.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.61 SAR 2.27

-1.64%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$26.4K SAR 98.9K

0.28%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

-4.80%

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

$108 SAR 406

$107 SAR 400

1.48%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$33.61 SAR 126

-3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$71.4 SAR 268

-2.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$86.6 SAR 325

5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$36.23 SAR 136

24.59%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$15.59 SAR 58.5

-15.27%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$354 SAR 1,330

14.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

-7.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 235

$59.8 SAR 224

4.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$60.8 SAR 228

-4.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$77.7 SAR 292

22.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$82.5 SAR 310

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$434 SAR 1,628

16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$380 SAR 1,425

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$835 SAR 3,137

8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$615 SAR 2,308

-2.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$2,257 SAR 8,476

-27.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,812

$1,522 SAR 5,716

-33.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.42

1.81%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $434 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 $40.00 in Jeddah versus $44.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $195 in Al-Ula – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,194 in Al-Ula – roughly 2% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Jeddah and $1,791 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 $407 per month in Jeddah and $354 in Al-Ula. 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.