Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $1,041 in Mecca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $1,881 in Mecca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $2,721 in Mecca, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 17% more than Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jeddah and Mecca are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 9% lower, Mecca 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$4.88 SAR 18.32

33.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$40.07 SAR 150

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$9.21 SAR 34.60

-15.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.59 SAR 5.95

35.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$1.58 SAR 5.95

32.91%

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$3.19 SAR 11.98

18.50%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-23.08%

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

$1.67 SAR 6.25

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.89 SAR 3.34

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-1.33%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$6.92 SAR 25.99

7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$8.58 SAR 32.23

-9.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.50

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-8.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-5.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.87 SAR 7.02

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.20 SAR 4.49

10.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.22 SAR 4.57

2.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.05 SAR 3.94

4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.66 SAR 2.46

-16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

$4.25 SAR 15.95

-0.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-5.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$2.16 SAR 8.12

15.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$7.94 SAR 29.81

-14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-5.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$39.83 SAR 150

0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$2.35 SAR 8.83

34.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.83 SAR 6.87

1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$10.56 SAR 39.64

42.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.59 SAR 2.22

1.69%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

0.44%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

1.84%

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

$108 SAR 406

$77.1 SAR 289

40.27%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$35.21 SAR 132

-8.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$67.3 SAR 253

3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$84.8 SAR 318

7.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$34.89 SAR 131

29.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-29.28%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$399 SAR 1,500

1.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

37.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 235

$22.32 SAR 83.8

181.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$63.5 SAR 239

-8.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$59.2 SAR 222

60.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$51.3 SAR 192

63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$226 SAR 849

124.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$290 SAR 1,090

32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$686 SAR 2,576

31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$1,041 SAR 3,909

-42.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-74.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,812

$2,305 SAR 8,656

-55.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$1,089 SAR 4,088

52.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.5

-18.18%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $226 in Mecca. 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 52% higher in Jeddah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah versus $40.00 in Mecca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $208 – 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

Jeddah vs Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,041 in Mecca – roughly 17% 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 $1,561 in Mecca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah and $40.00 in Mecca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Jeddah and $1,041 in Mecca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mecca, where all-in costs run around $1,041, than in Jeddah at $1,218. In Mecca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mecca – 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 Mecca. 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.