Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Qatif Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Qatif

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,224 per month in Jeddah vs $1,059 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,836 per month in Jeddah vs $1,673 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Jeddah vs $2,288 in Qatif, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 16% more than Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jeddah and Qatif are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 9% lower, Qatif 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$3.41 SAR 12.81

94.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 SAR 148

$47.01 SAR 176

-16.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 SAR 30.24

$7.87 SAR 29.55

2.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$1.86 SAR 6.96

11.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

$1.89 SAR 7.11

9.52%

Cappuccino

$3.80 SAR 14.25

$3.55 SAR 13.31

7.04%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.61

$0.82 SAR 3.07

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.26 SAR 0.98

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$0.81 SAR 3.02

17.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

$2.01 SAR 7.53

11.94%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.33 SAR 8.73

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 SAR 27.14

$6.30 SAR 23.62

14.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 SAR 29.48

$7.15 SAR 26.82

9.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.31

$10.02 SAR 37.61

25.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

$2.09 SAR 7.83

0.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.47 SAR 5.51

8.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.40 SAR 5.27

12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.72

$0.70 SAR 2.64

118.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.38 SAR 5.16

-12.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.15 SAR 4.30

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.51 SAR 1.90

5.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.22 SAR 15.83

$2.65 SAR 9.93

59.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

$1.55 SAR 5.80

27.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.34

$1.93 SAR 7.24

29.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 SAR 25.73

$7.82 SAR 29.33

-12.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.08 SAR 4.06

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.47 SAR 148

$39.34 SAR 148

0.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.92

$3.26 SAR 12.24

-2.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.61 SAR 6.06

19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 SAR 56.2

$13.20 SAR 49.52

13.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$0.60 SAR 2.26

3.33%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.7K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

20.57%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

7.80%

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

$108 SAR 406

$105 SAR 396

2.70%

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

$31.68 SAR 119

$36.22 SAR 136

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 SAR 262

$61.0 SAR 229

14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 SAR 330

$95.3 SAR 358

-7.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.28 SAR 170

$57.3 SAR 215

-20.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 SAR 49.69

$15.49 SAR 58.1

-14.53%

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

$410 SAR 1,539

$393 SAR 1,476

4.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,604 SAR 24.8K

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

-21.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 SAR 238

$52.8 SAR 198

20.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 SAR 222

$51.1 SAR 192

15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 348

$91.3 SAR 343

1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 SAR 311

$86.2 SAR 323

-3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,869

$361 SAR 1,355

37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,437

$290 SAR 1,088

31.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 SAR 3,387

$695 SAR 2,606

29.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,255

$483 SAR 1,811

24.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,623 SAR 6,091

$963 SAR 3,612

68.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,804

$780 SAR 2,927

29.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,652 SAR 6,199

$2,308 SAR 8,661

-28.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.33

3.93%

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

Last update for Jeddah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Jeddah versus $361 in Qatif. 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 40% higher in Qatif, 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 $39.00 in Jeddah versus $47.00 in Qatif. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $173 in Qatif – so Qatif 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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,224 in Jeddah, $1,059 in Qatif – roughly 16% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Jeddah and $1,589 in Qatif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qatif, 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 $39.00 in Jeddah and $47.00 in Qatif. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,224 in Jeddah and $1,059 in Qatif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Qatif, where all-in costs run around $1,059, than in Jeddah at $1,224. In Qatif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qatif – 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 Qatif. 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.