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: $1,464 in Martin versus $1,066 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,090 in Martin versus $1,926 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,716 in Martin versus $2,786 in Mecca.

Living in Martin is roughly 37% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 10% above, Mecca is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.28 €8.16

$4.92 SAR 18.48

88.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.75 €40.22

$40.29 SAR 151

13.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 €8.10

$9.30 SAR 34.89

-0.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.61

$3.15 SAR 11.81

-5.71%

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

$1.78 €1.56

$0.87 SAR 3.27

104.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.14

$0.31 SAR 1.17

316.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 €1.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €2.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.98

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.28

$0.84 SAR 3.14

73.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 €1.80

$2.17 SAR 8.13

-5.99%

Eggs

$3.74 €3.28

$2.94 SAR 11.02

27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.03 €14.09

$7.10 SAR 26.65

125.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 €6.79

$8.41 SAR 31.57

-8.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 €11.43

$13.13 SAR 49.30

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 €1.10

$2.41 SAR 9.05

-47.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.55 SAR 5.81

10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 €1.99

$1.80 SAR 6.74

26.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.88

$2.10 SAR 7.90

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.24

$1.20 SAR 4.51

17.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.52

$1.21 SAR 4.55

42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 €1.53

$1.05 SAR 3.96

65.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.67

$0.70 SAR 2.64

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.17 SAR 15.67

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 €5.16

$8.06 SAR 30.24

-27.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 €4.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.07

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 €1.30

$1.34 SAR 5.04

10.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.21 €25.67

$40.18 SAR 151

-27.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 €1.20

$2.44 SAR 9.16

-44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 €1.08

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-36.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.90 €20.13

$10.59 SAR 39.77

116.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.55

$0.59 SAR 2.23

198.31%

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

$23.5K €20.7K

$27.1K SAR 101.7K

-13.19%

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

$25.2K €22.1K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

19.10%

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

$307 €270

$77.4 SAR 291

296.52%

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

$28.05 €24.66

$35.14 SAR 132

-20.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.78 €11.23

$66.9 SAR 251

-80.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.18 €33.56

$85.5 SAR 321

-55.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 €15.09

$35.24 SAR 132

-51.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 €8.73

$18.28 SAR 68.6

-45.68%

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

$345 €303

$396 SAR 1,485

-12.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,385 €6,492

$4,688 SAR 17.6K

57.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 €59.8

$22.55 SAR 84.6

201.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.74 €12.08

$62.4 SAR 234

-77.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 €67.3

$58.8 SAR 221

30.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €95.3

$50.9 SAR 191

112.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 €452

$225 SAR 845

128.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 €425

$282 SAR 1,057

71.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$777 €683

$688 SAR 2,582

13.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 €610

$1,028 SAR 3,858

-32.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,331 €2,050

$6,377 SAR 23.9K

-63.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 €1,578

$2,285 SAR 8,577

-21.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,555 €1,367

$1,067 SAR 4,006

45.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

5.5

-20.18%

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

Last update for Martin: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $514 in Martin and $225 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 46% 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: $46.00 in Martin vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $206 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. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 46% 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 $225 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,464 per month in Martin versus $1,066 in Mecca – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 38% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,066 in Mecca versus $1,464 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 37% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.