Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Jubail versus $1,041 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,664 in Jubail versus $1,881 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,281 in Jubail versus $2,721 in Mecca.

Living in Jubail is roughly 1% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 22% lower, Mecca 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.53

$4.88 SAR 18.32

39.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.22 SAR 151

$40.07 SAR 150

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 SAR 34.69

$9.21 SAR 34.61

0.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.59 SAR 5.95

15.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 SAR 11.24

$1.58 SAR 5.95

89.24%

Cappuccino

$3.21 SAR 12.07

$3.19 SAR 11.98

0.63%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-8.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

$1.67 SAR 6.25

8.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.55

$0.89 SAR 3.34

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-26.11%

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.47

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 SAR 30.43

$6.92 SAR 26.00

17.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.91

$8.58 SAR 32.24

-19.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 SAR 41.84

$13.57 SAR 51.0

-17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$2.31 SAR 8.67

3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.57 SAR 5.88

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.87 SAR 7.02

-13.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.24

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.22 SAR 4.57

10.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.05 SAR 3.94

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.66 SAR 2.47

-9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

$4.25 SAR 15.95

-32.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-4.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.16 SAR 8.13

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 SAR 27.05

$7.94 SAR 29.82

-9.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-29.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.83 SAR 97.0

$39.83 SAR 150

-35.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 SAR 14.82

$2.35 SAR 8.84

68.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.83 SAR 6.88

5.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.48 SAR 65.7

$10.56 SAR 39.65

65.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.59 SAR 2.22

10.17%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-23.25%

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

$24.1K SAR 90.4K

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

15.00%

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

$98.8 SAR 371

$77.1 SAR 289

28.22%

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

$30.96 SAR 116

$35.21 SAR 132

-12.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 SAR 236

$67.3 SAR 253

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.5 SAR 329

$84.8 SAR 318

3.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$34.89 SAR 131

2.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 SAR 51.5

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-26.50%

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

$201 SAR 754

$399 SAR 1,500

-49.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,549 SAR 32.1K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

84.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.48 SAR 141

$22.32 SAR 83.8

67.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SAR 228

$63.5 SAR 239

-4.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 SAR 311

$59.2 SAR 222

40.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 SAR 304

$51.3 SAR 192

57.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,512

$226 SAR 849

77.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 SAR 1,030

$290 SAR 1,090

-5.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,402

$686 SAR 2,576

-6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

$1,041 SAR 3,909

-52.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,494 SAR 9,365

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-60.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,917

$2,305 SAR 8,657

-43.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 SAR 6,109

$1,089 SAR 4,088

49.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.5

-3.09%

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

Last update for Jubail: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $226 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jubail vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $208 per month, with Jubail cheaper across the board.

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

Jubail vs Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Jubail. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mecca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Jubail, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Jubail versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Jubail versus $1,041 in Mecca – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 54% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,048 in Jubail, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Jubail. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Jubail and Mecca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.