Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,446 in Martin versus $975 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,058 in Martin versus $1,477 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Martin versus $1,980 in Mecca.

Living in Martin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 5% above, Mecca is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.23 €7.96

$4.57 SAR 17.15

101.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 €40.75

$27.05 SAR 102

74.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 €8.16

$6.94 SAR 26.05

36.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.49

$2.61 SAR 9.82

10.73%

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

$2.03 €1.75

$0.71 SAR 2.67

185.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.23 SAR 0.86

491.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 €1.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 €1.38

$0.95 SAR 3.58

68.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.12 SAR 7.95

-0.47%

Eggs

$3.59 €3.09

$2.35 SAR 8.81

52.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 €11.13

$6.26 SAR 23.51

106.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 €6.94

$8.05 SAR 30.22

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 €11.74

$12.83 SAR 48.18

6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$2.01 SAR 7.55

-37.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.63 SAR 6.10

6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.58 SAR 5.93

58.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$1.68 SAR 6.32

35.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.11 SAR 4.17

21.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.36 SAR 5.10

16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.04 SAR 3.91

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$0.54 SAR 2.04

64.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 €5.14

$6.56 SAR 24.65

-8.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 €4.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 €0.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.35 SAR 5.06

5.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.63 €25.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 €1.48

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-9.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-27.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.34 €20.12

$13.35 SAR 50.2

74.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$0.59 SAR 2.22

201.69%

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

$22.9K €19.8K

$48.7K SAR 183.0K

-52.92%

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

$25.0K €21.5K

$20.8K SAR 78.0K

20.42%

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

$313 €269

$74.9 SAR 281

317.23%

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

$20.30 €17.50

$35.05 SAR 132

-42.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.67 €10.92

$67.7 SAR 254

-81.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 €32.88

$77.3 SAR 290

-50.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.29 €16.63

$33.94 SAR 127

-43.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 €8.45

$12.02 SAR 45.15

-18.39%

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

$348 €300

$397 SAR 1,491

-12.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K €9,325

$4,573 SAR 17.2K

136.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 €63.8

$22.73 SAR 85.4

225.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.72 €11.82

$60.8 SAR 228

-77.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 €70.2

$49.95 SAR 188

63.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 €84.9

$51.3 SAR 193

91.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 €443

$588 SAR 2,209

-12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 €407

$318 SAR 1,194

48.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 €679

$1,496 SAR 5,617

-47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 €599

$507 SAR 1,905

37.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,349 €2,025

$6,343 SAR 23.8K

-62.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,809 €1,559

$2,285 SAR 8,583

-20.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,097 SAR 4,121

44.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

5.25

-27.81%

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

Last update for Martin: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $514 in Martin and $588 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 44% 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: $47.00 in Martin vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $193 per month, with Mecca 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

Martin vs Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Martin, 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: $514 in Martin versus $588 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Martin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,446 per month in Martin versus $975 in Mecca – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $975 in Mecca versus $1,446 in Martin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Martin. 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, Martin 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 48% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.