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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Jeddah vs $1,065 in Mecca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Jeddah vs $1,917 in Mecca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,514 per month in Jeddah vs $2,769 in Mecca, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 13% more than Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jeddah and Mecca are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 10% lower, Mecca 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.53

$4.89 SAR 18.34

33.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.72 SAR 153

$39.53 SAR 148

3.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$9.39 SAR 35.23

-12.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$1.62 SAR 6.08

35.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$1.60 SAR 6.00

31.25%

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.44

$3.16 SAR 11.87

13.29%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.87 SAR 3.25

-19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.64 SAR 6.16

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.58

$0.89 SAR 3.34

7.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.61

$2.24 SAR 8.41

2.68%

Eggs

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$7.04 SAR 26.43

5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 SAR 28.69

$8.39 SAR 31.48

-8.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 SAR 46.33

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-6.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.78

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-24.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.26 SAR 4.73

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.68 SAR 2.56

-11.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

$4.04 SAR 15.18

0.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-2.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$2.07 SAR 7.76

19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 SAR 25.36

$8.01 SAR 30.06

-15.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.31 SAR 4.92

3.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.64 SAR 149

$40.59 SAR 152

-2.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.13

$2.44 SAR 9.14

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.83 SAR 6.89

2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$10.59 SAR 39.74

45.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.60 SAR 2.26

5.00%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

0.59%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

-0.09%

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

$105 SAR 393

$77.7 SAR 291

34.99%

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

$32.31 SAR 121

$35.25 SAR 132

-8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$65.8 SAR 247

6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$87.6 SAR 329

3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.17 SAR 170

$34.97 SAR 131

29.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.25

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-29.42%

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

$400 SAR 1,500

$404 SAR 1,517

-1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

39.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$22.51 SAR 84.5

186.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$62.5 SAR 235

-7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 SAR 347

$58.8 SAR 221

57.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 SAR 317

$51.1 SAR 192

65.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 SAR 1,881

$231 SAR 867

116.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 SAR 1,464

$282 SAR 1,058

38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 SAR 3,374

$669 SAR 2,509

34.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,321

$1,026 SAR 3,851

-39.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 SAR 6,100

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-75.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,805

$2,238 SAR 8,399

-54.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 SAR 6,218

$1,075 SAR 4,034

54.14%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Jeddah versus $231 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 54% 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 $41.00 in Jeddah versus $40.00 in Mecca. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $207 in Mecca – 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,202 in Jeddah, $1,065 in Mecca – roughly 13% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,803 per month in Jeddah and $1,598 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 $41.00 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 $1,202 in Jeddah and $1,065 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 $1,065, than in Jeddah at $1,202. 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.