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: $1,468 in Martin versus $1,046 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,088 in Martin versus $1,923 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,707 in Martin versus $2,801 in Mecca.

Living in Martin is roughly 40% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 9% above, Mecca is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 €8.25

$4.78 SAR 17.94

99.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.93 €40.67

$40.13 SAR 151

16.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 €7.98

$9.47 SAR 35.55

-2.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.75

Cappuccino

$2.86 €2.48

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-12.27%

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

$1.79 €1.55

$0.90 SAR 3.39

98.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$0.29 SAR 1.09

362.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 €1.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.04

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-34.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.20

$0.88 SAR 3.31

56.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.18 SAR 8.17

-4.59%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.09

$3.05 SAR 11.43

17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.88 €13.76

$7.11 SAR 26.69

123.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.91

$8.31 SAR 31.20

-4.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 €11.44

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 €1.07

$2.30 SAR 8.65

-46.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.60 SAR 6.00

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.80 SAR 6.74

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 €1.90

$2.04 SAR 7.64

7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.25 SAR 4.71

9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.21 SAR 4.55

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.05 SAR 3.95

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.69 SAR 2.58

17.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.27 SAR 16.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 €5.13

$8.04 SAR 30.17

-26.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 €4.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.35 SAR 5.08

8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.91 €25.06

$39.96 SAR 150

-27.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 €1.24

$2.47 SAR 9.26

-42.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-30.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.02 €19.95

$10.50 SAR 39.43

119.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.60 SAR 2.25

193.33%

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

$23.4K €20.2K

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

-13.03%

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

$24.9K €21.6K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

18.18%

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

$305 €265

$76.5 SAR 287

298.93%

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

$27.57 €23.89

$34.77 SAR 131

-20.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.63 €10.94

$68.0 SAR 255

-81.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.18 €33.09

$86.9 SAR 326

-56.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 €14.87

$34.61 SAR 130

-50.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.54 €8.27

$18.51 SAR 69.5

-48.46%

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

$348 €301

$407 SAR 1,529

-14.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 €6,375

$4,582 SAR 17.2K

60.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 €59.7

$22.60 SAR 84.9

204.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.11 €12.23

$62.7 SAR 236

-77.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 €65.1

$60.2 SAR 226

24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.0

$50.2 SAR 189

115.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 €456

$227 SAR 851

132.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 €418

$291 SAR 1,091

66.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 €678

$693 SAR 2,601

12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 €600

$1,032 SAR 3,874

-32.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,354 €2,041

$6,446 SAR 24.2K

-63.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,761 €1,526

$2,302 SAR 8,643

-23.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,540 €1,335

$1,085 SAR 4,073

41.99%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mecca: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $527 in Martin and $227 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 42% 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 $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $207 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Martin pays 42% 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: $527 in Martin versus $227 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,468 per month in Martin versus $1,046 in Mecca – a 40% 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 $1,046 in Mecca versus $1,468 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 40% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.