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: $1,056 in Jubail versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,668 in Jubail versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Jubail versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 1% less than in Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 21% lower, Mecca 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$4.89 SAR 18.34

38.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.87 SAR 150

$39.53 SAR 148

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 SAR 34.34

$9.39 SAR 35.23

-2.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.62 SAR 6.08

13.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

$1.60 SAR 6.00

81.25%

Cappuccino

$3.32 SAR 12.46

$3.16 SAR 11.87

5.06%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.87 SAR 3.25

-11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.64 SAR 6.16

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$0.89 SAR 3.34

14.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-27.68%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-19.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 SAR 29.80

$7.04 SAR 26.43

12.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 SAR 26.35

$8.39 SAR 31.48

-16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 SAR 41.52

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.78

$2.31 SAR 8.69

1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.61 SAR 6.06

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-33.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.24 SAR 4.67

4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.06 SAR 3.96

33.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.68 SAR 2.56

-11.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$4.04 SAR 15.18

-26.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-5.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.07 SAR 7.76

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SAR 26.99

$8.01 SAR 30.06

-10.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-28.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.57 SAR 96.0

$40.59 SAR 152

-37.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$2.44 SAR 9.14

63.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.83 SAR 6.89

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.07 SAR 64.1

$10.59 SAR 39.74

61.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.60 SAR 2.26

1.67%

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

$20.3K SAR 76.0K

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

-24.28%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.4K

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

11.14%

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

$98.2 SAR 369

$77.7 SAR 291

26.49%

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

$31.55 SAR 118

$35.25 SAR 132

-10.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 SAR 235

$65.8 SAR 247

-4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 SAR 327

$87.6 SAR 329

-0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.55 SAR 133

$34.97 SAR 131

1.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.64 SAR 51.2

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-26.63%

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

$201 SAR 754

$404 SAR 1,517

-50.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,531 SAR 32.0K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

85.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.67 SAR 145

$22.51 SAR 84.5

71.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.9 SAR 236

$62.5 SAR 235

0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 SAR 313

$58.8 SAR 221

41.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 SAR 299

$51.1 SAR 192

55.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 SAR 1,522

$231 SAR 867

75.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,056

$282 SAR 1,058

-0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,376

$669 SAR 2,509

-5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 SAR 1,831

$1,026 SAR 3,851

-52.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,576 SAR 9,667

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-60.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,272 SAR 4,775

$2,238 SAR 8,399

-43.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,623 SAR 6,090

$1,075 SAR 4,034

50.97%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Jubail and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jubail vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $207 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

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

Jubail pays 51% more on average, 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: $406 in Jubail versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,056 per month in Jubail versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 59% less than in Mecca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,056 in Jubail versus $1,065 in Mecca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Mecca. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Mecca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.