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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Jeddah vs $1,080 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Jeddah vs $1,638 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,805 per month in Jeddah vs $2,196 in Qatif, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 29% more than Qatif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Jeddah sits 2% above the global median, while Qatif is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.06

$3.56 SAR 13.38

87.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$35.17 SAR 132

52.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 SAR 30.94

$6.67 SAR 25.07

23.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 SAR 9.65

$1.89 SAR 7.10

35.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.20 SAR 8.27

17.73%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$2.95 SAR 11.07

20.68%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$0.73 SAR 2.73

35.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.15 SAR 0.58

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.76 SAR 6.61

0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$0.94 SAR 3.53

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.95 SAR 7.31

21.03%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.11 SAR 7.93

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 SAR 24.58

$5.70 SAR 21.42

14.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 SAR 31.38

$7.80 SAR 29.31

7.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 SAR 49.36

$12.98 SAR 48.76

1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$2.18 SAR 8.20

-3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.72 SAR 6.45

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.59 SAR 5.96

1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.33

$0.64 SAR 2.39

162.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.12 SAR 4.21

1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.10 SAR 4.12

12.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 SAR 4.24

$0.91 SAR 3.41

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.50 SAR 1.89

8.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.93

$2.63 SAR 9.87

61.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$1.49 SAR 5.61

24.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.33

$2.17 SAR 8.14

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 SAR 25.09

$6.62 SAR 24.85

0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 SAR 208

$36.12 SAR 136

53.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$2.36 SAR 8.86

33.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$0.51 SAR 1.92

247.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.72 SAR 51.5

$13.10 SAR 49.20

4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.61 SAR 2.30

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

$47.8K SAR 179.7K

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

33.52%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

3.82%

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

$104 SAR 392

$103 SAR 388

0.97%

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

$38.73 SAR 145

$33.42 SAR 126

15.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 SAR 248

$58.3 SAR 219

13.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 SAR 324

$82.7 SAR 311

4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.48 SAR 156

$37.55 SAR 141

10.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 SAR 44.67

$13.21 SAR 49.60

-9.99%

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

$738 SAR 2,773

$270 SAR 1,015

173.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K SAR 58.9K

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

101.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 SAR 257

$31.48 SAR 118

117.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 SAR 225

$20.90 SAR 78.5

186.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 SAR 367

$94.6 SAR 355

3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 SAR 371

$90.4 SAR 340

9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 SAR 2,935

$574 SAR 2,157

36.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 SAR 2,021

$346 SAR 1,298

55.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 SAR 4,990

$873 SAR 3,281

52.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 SAR 3,215

$547 SAR 2,055

56.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,772 SAR 6,654

$951 SAR 3,573

86.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 SAR 4,315

$783 SAR 2,942

46.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 SAR 6,087

$2,249 SAR 8,448

-27.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.5

-2.00%

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

Last update for Jeddah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $781 in Jeddah versus $574 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 39% 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 $54.0 in Jeddah versus $35.00 in Qatif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $184 – making Qatif 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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Jeddah, $1,080 in Qatif – roughly 29% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Jeddah and $1,620 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 $54.0 in Jeddah and $35.00 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 $1,392 in Jeddah and $1,080 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 $1,080, than in Jeddah at $1,392. 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.