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: $1,063 in Jubail versus $974 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,680 in Jubail versus $1,454 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,297 in Jubail versus $1,935 in Mecca.

Living in Jubail is roughly 9% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 23% lower, Mecca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.30

$4.63 SAR 17.38

39.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 SAR 150

$26.73 SAR 100

49.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 SAR 33.59

$6.72 SAR 25.23

33.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$1.52 SAR 5.71

18.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$1.52 SAR 5.72

44.08%

Cappuccino

$3.83 SAR 14.37

$2.62 SAR 9.83

46.18%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.43

$0.67 SAR 2.53

35.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.02

$0.23 SAR 0.86

17.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SAR 5.63

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$0.94 SAR 3.51

48.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$2.19 SAR 8.22

-23.74%

Eggs

$2.15 SAR 8.06

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 SAR 33.72

$6.20 SAR 23.27

44.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 SAR 23.15

$8.26 SAR 31.03

-25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 SAR 41.20

$12.60 SAR 47.31

-12.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$1.98 SAR 7.43

7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.67 SAR 6.27

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$1.49 SAR 5.59

4.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.68 SAR 6.29

2.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.15 SAR 4.32

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.36 SAR 5.10

1.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.03 SAR 3.86

66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.50 SAR 1.89

2.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.87

$4.07 SAR 15.29

-28.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$1.78 SAR 6.69

17.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-4.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.79

$6.66 SAR 25.01

-0.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.34 SAR 5.04

-4.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.05 SAR 90.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 SAR 12.64

$1.81 SAR 6.81

86.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$1.75 SAR 6.56

48.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.01 SAR 48.83

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.27

5.00%

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

$43.6K SAR 163.6K

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

-7.24%

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

$20.6K SAR 77.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

-3.38%

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

$78.8 SAR 296

$75.9 SAR 285

3.89%

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

$28.13 SAR 106

$35.20 SAR 132

-20.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 SAR 250

$67.6 SAR 254

-1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 SAR 378

$78.5 SAR 295

28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.86 SAR 150

$34.37 SAR 129

15.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$12.08 SAR 45.37

11.75%

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

$179 SAR 673

$391 SAR 1,467

-54.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,619 SAR 28.6K

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

66.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.90 SAR 154

$22.43 SAR 84.2

82.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 SAR 222

$58.6 SAR 220

0.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$48.48 SAR 182

64.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 SAR 329

$50.9 SAR 191

71.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 SAR 1,633

$576 SAR 2,161

-24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 SAR 1,112

$319 SAR 1,198

-7.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,404

$1,512 SAR 5,676

-57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 SAR 1,977

$507 SAR 1,904

3.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 SAR 10.4K

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

-56.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,349 SAR 5,064

$2,299 SAR 8,632

-41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,564 SAR 5,872

$1,082 SAR 4,062

44.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.25

7.05%

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

Last update for Jubail: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Jubail and $576 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 45% 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 $27.00 in Mecca. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $194, with Jubail cheaper for home cooking.

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 9% 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 45% 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: $435 in Jubail versus $576 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $179 in Jubail versus $391 in Mecca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mecca – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Jubail. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,063 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 9% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.