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: $1,056 in Mecca versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,894 in Mecca versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Mecca versus $2,931 in Al Khobar.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 21% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 21% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 SAR 17.87

$6.80 SAR 25.51

-29.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.58 SAR 148

$52.4 SAR 196

-24.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SAR 35.39

$7.81 SAR 29.27

20.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-22.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-41.76%

Cappuccino

$3.28 SAR 12.32

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-22.46%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-9.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 SAR 3.13

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-37.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.20

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-8.75%

Eggs

$2.90 SAR 10.86

$2.82 SAR 10.57

2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.57

$6.88 SAR 25.80

-0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 SAR 31.94

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-5.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 SAR 49.22

$12.37 SAR 46.39

6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.62

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-5.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-19.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.62 SAR 6.08

30.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.67

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-12.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-39.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.59 SAR 2.23

15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.91 SAR 14.67

$2.72 SAR 10.21

43.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.47 SAR 5.50

34.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$1.87 SAR 7.02

15.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 SAR 30.12

$6.59 SAR 24.71

21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$0.91 SAR 3.40

47.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.72 SAR 149

$59.5 SAR 223

-33.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.21 SAR 8.29

9.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.88

$1.31 SAR 4.90

40.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.50 SAR 39.38

$6.69 SAR 25.08

56.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-6.35%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

28.30%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

-8.34%

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

$76.5 SAR 287

$123 SAR 461

-37.75%

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

$34.98 SAR 131

$34.30 SAR 129

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 SAR 250

$80.9 SAR 303

-17.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.9 SAR 318

$109 SAR 409

-22.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 SAR 131

$36.07 SAR 135

-2.94%

Cinema Ticket

$18.53 SAR 69.5

$17.15 SAR 64.3

8.05%

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

$403 SAR 1,509

$306 SAR 1,147

31.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,691 SAR 17.6K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

-37.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.73 SAR 85.2

$62.9 SAR 236

-63.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$68.8 SAR 258

-9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 SAR 227

$99.1 SAR 372

-38.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 SAR 193

$79.1 SAR 297

-34.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 SAR 843

$437 SAR 1,639

-48.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 SAR 1,090

$394 SAR 1,479

-26.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 SAR 2,569

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-35.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 SAR 3,963

$788 SAR 2,955

34.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,157 SAR 23.1K

$2,411 SAR 9,040

155.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,259 SAR 8,470

$1,432 SAR 5,370

57.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,088 SAR 4,078

$1,942 SAR 7,283

-44.00%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Mecca and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 79% 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 $52.0 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 27% 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 79% 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 $437 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 50% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $403 in Mecca versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,056 in Mecca versus $1,341 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 27% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.