Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Dhahran Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Dhahran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,367 per month in Jeddah vs $1,303 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,104 per month in Jeddah vs $1,663 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,842 per month in Jeddah vs $2,024 in Dhahran, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 5% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jeddah and Dhahran are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 1% lower, Dhahran 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.97

$5.39 SAR 20.22

23.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 SAR 200

$39.25 SAR 147

35.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 SAR 31.31

$6.37 SAR 23.92

30.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$1.83 SAR 6.88

37.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$1.57 SAR 5.89

70.06%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.31

$3.95 SAR 14.84

-10.38%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$0.73 SAR 2.75

38.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.15 SAR 0.58

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.64 SAR 6.17

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.02 SAR 3.82

30.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$1.93 SAR 7.26

15.54%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$3.81 SAR 14.30

-37.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$8.58 SAR 32.21

-23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.17

$11.12 SAR 41.77

-27.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 SAR 48.51

$13.59 SAR 51.1

-4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$2.09 SAR 7.86

1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.41 SAR 5.28

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.82 SAR 6.85

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-6.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.55 SAR 5.84

-24.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$0.95 SAR 3.56

42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-43.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.01

$0.92 SAR 3.47

-41.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.68

$4.67 SAR 17.55

-10.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.63 SAR 6.14

13.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$2.43 SAR 9.12

2.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 SAR 24.94

$5.71 SAR 21.43

16.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$0.83 SAR 3.13

37.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 SAR 208

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 SAR 12.06

$1.35 SAR 5.07

137.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$3.41 SAR 12.80

-48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.94 SAR 52.4

$9.35 SAR 35.12

49.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.64 SAR 2.41

-6.25%

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

$48.1K SAR 180.7K

$51.9K SAR 194.9K

-7.31%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$20.8K SAR 78.0K

5.31%

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

$100 SAR 377

$59.7 SAR 224

68.23%

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

$37.60 SAR 141

$42.29 SAR 159

-11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 SAR 249

$66.7 SAR 251

-0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 SAR 331

$197 SAR 741

-55.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.96 SAR 154

$91.5 SAR 344

-55.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 SAR 45.11

$10.51 SAR 39.48

14.27%

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

$720 SAR 2,703

$67.6 SAR 254

964.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K SAR 59.2K

$13.5K SAR 50.9K

16.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$50.5 SAR 190

36.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 SAR 221

$43.25 SAR 162

36.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SAR 369

$75.1 SAR 282

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 SAR 364

$90.0 SAR 338

7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 SAR 2,886

$361 SAR 1,357

112.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,965

$460 SAR 1,728

13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SAR 5,041

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 SAR 3,207

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 SAR 6,504

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 SAR 4,247

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 SAR 6,090

$2,813 SAR 10.6K

-42.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

4.5

19.78%

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

Last update for Jeddah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Jeddah versus $361 in Dhahran. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 73% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Jeddah versus $39.00 in Dhahran. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Jeddah vs $232 in Dhahran – 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah costs about 5% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,050 per month in Jeddah and $1,954 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,367 in Jeddah and $1,303 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $720 per month in Jeddah and $67.6 in Dhahran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,303, than in Jeddah at $1,367. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhahran – 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 Dhahran. 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.