Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,032 in Mecca versus $1,353 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Mecca versus $2,112 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,821 in Mecca versus $2,870 in Al Khobar.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 24% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 23% below, Al Khobar is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$6.61 SAR 24.80

-26.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.40 SAR 152

$54.0 SAR 203

-25.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 SAR 35.71

$8.05 SAR 30.20

18.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-19.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$2.60 SAR 9.74

-38.46%

Cappuccino

$3.32 SAR 12.45

$4.23 SAR 15.86

-21.51%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.18

$0.94 SAR 3.51

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.48 SAR 1.81

-39.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.70 SAR 6.38

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.37 SAR 8.90

-8.44%

Eggs

$2.87 SAR 10.79

$2.83 SAR 10.62

1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.08 SAR 26.58

$6.79 SAR 25.46

4.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$9.15 SAR 34.33

-10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.26 SAR 49.77

$12.28 SAR 46.09

7.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-6.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.73 SAR 6.50

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$1.58 SAR 5.92

30.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.49 SAR 5.60

-15.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-40.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.60 SAR 2.24

6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.09 SAR 15.33

$2.70 SAR 10.12

51.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.25

$1.48 SAR 5.56

30.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$1.96 SAR 7.35

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 SAR 29.08

$6.68 SAR 25.08

16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$0.89 SAR 3.32

52.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.37 SAR 152

$59.6 SAR 224

-32.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.24 SAR 8.41

5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.36 SAR 5.11

35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 SAR 40.76

$6.83 SAR 25.65

59.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

$21.7K SAR 81.6K

21.89%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

-7.51%

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

$75.4 SAR 283

$122 SAR 457

-38.11%

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

$34.33 SAR 129

$34.14 SAR 128

0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 SAR 250

$80.5 SAR 302

-17.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.5 SAR 321

$108 SAR 404

-20.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.63 SAR 130

$36.22 SAR 136

-4.39%

Cinema Ticket

$18.79 SAR 70.5

$17.10 SAR 64.2

9.88%

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

$401 SAR 1,503

$311 SAR 1,169

28.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,589 SAR 17.2K

$7,735 SAR 29.0K

-40.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.80 SAR 85.6

$64.5 SAR 242

-64.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 SAR 234

$71.1 SAR 267

-12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.5 SAR 220

$99.0 SAR 372

-40.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 SAR 190

$80.7 SAR 303

-37.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 SAR 846

$432 SAR 1,619

-47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$393 SAR 1,476

-26.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 SAR 2,508

$1,052 SAR 3,949

-36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 SAR 3,921

$804 SAR 3,016

30.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,343 SAR 23.8K

$2,374 SAR 8,910

167.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,302 SAR 8,637

$1,456 SAR 5,464

58.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,059

$1,847 SAR 6,931

-41.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

3.84

43.23%

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

Last update for Mecca: June 15, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Mecca and $432 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 71% 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 Mecca vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $216 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

Mecca vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mecca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 71% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $225 in Mecca versus $432 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 48% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $401 in Mecca versus $311 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,032 in Mecca versus $1,353 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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, Mecca and Al Khobar 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 31% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.