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: $1,475 in Martin versus $1,051 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,091 in Martin versus $1,929 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,706 in Martin versus $2,808 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 10% above, Mecca is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 €8.02

$4.88 SAR 18.31

92.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.99 €40.08

$39.41 SAR 148

19.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 €7.85

$9.36 SAR 35.08

-1.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

Cappuccino

$2.93 €2.50

$3.29 SAR 12.32

-10.94%

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

$1.77 €1.51

$0.86 SAR 3.21

105.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$0.29 SAR 1.08

362.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 €1.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.93

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.19

$0.91 SAR 3.41

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.22 SAR 8.34

-7.66%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.04

$2.93 SAR 11.00

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 €13.59

$6.78 SAR 25.42

135.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 €6.86

$8.18 SAR 30.66

-1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 €11.30

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 €1.05

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-46.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.47

$1.60 SAR 6.00

8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.77 SAR 6.63

35.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$2.05 SAR 7.70

4.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.20

$1.22 SAR 4.56

15.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.27 SAR 4.75

37.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.05 SAR 3.93

58.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.70 SAR 2.63

15.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.95 SAR 14.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.01 €5.12

$7.78 SAR 29.17

-22.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 €4.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.35 SAR 5.07

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.48 €25.15

$39.22 SAR 147

-24.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 €1.15

$2.37 SAR 8.90

-43.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 €1.05

$1.84 SAR 6.90

-32.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.44 €19.99

$10.63 SAR 39.85

120.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.64 SAR 2.39

173.44%

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

$23.5K €20.1K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

-11.56%

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

$25.4K €21.6K

$21.2K SAR 79.6K

19.48%

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

$305 €260

$77.4 SAR 290

294.76%

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

$28.09 €23.96

$34.20 SAR 128

-17.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.56 €10.71

$66.9 SAR 251

-81.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 €32.70

$87.5 SAR 328

-56.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.57 €14.99

$34.59 SAR 130

-49.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 €8.20

$18.55 SAR 69.6

-48.19%

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

$346 €295

$395 SAR 1,481

-12.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,324 €6,248

$4,659 SAR 17.5K

57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 €60.3

$22.49 SAR 84.3

214.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.66 €11.65

$63.0 SAR 236

-78.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 €64.6

$58.9 SAR 221

28.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.5

$50.1 SAR 188

116.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 €452

$225 SAR 843

135.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 €410

$289 SAR 1,085

66.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 €660

$684 SAR 2,564

13.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €588

$1,037 SAR 3,888

-33.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,453 €2,092

$6,153 SAR 23.1K

-60.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,800 €1,535

$2,240 SAR 8,400

-19.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,577 €1,345

$1,077 SAR 4,040

46.41%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mecca: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 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: $47 in Martin vs $39 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Martin pays 46% 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: $530 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 $1,475 per month in Martin versus $1,051 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 33% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,051 in Mecca versus $1,475 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.