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: $1,046 in Mecca versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,923 in Mecca versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,801 in Mecca versus $2,958 in Al Khobar.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 22% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 22% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.78 SAR 17.93

$6.67 SAR 25.03

-28.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.13 SAR 151

$52.7 SAR 198

-23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 SAR 35.52

$8.04 SAR 30.18

17.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-22.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.74

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-43.12%

Cappuccino

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-24.88%

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

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.09

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-43.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.30 SAR 8.64

-5.22%

Eggs

$3.05 SAR 11.43

$2.92 SAR 10.96

4.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.67

$6.70 SAR 25.15

6.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 SAR 31.18

$9.28 SAR 34.81

-10.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$12.58 SAR 47.21

7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-7.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-19.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.64

$1.63 SAR 6.10

25.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.71

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.55

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-38.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 SAR 2.58

$0.63 SAR 2.35

9.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.27 SAR 16.01

$2.61 SAR 9.79

63.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$1.46 SAR 5.50

35.62%

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)

$8.04 SAR 30.16

$6.81 SAR 25.55

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$0.97 SAR 3.63

39.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.96 SAR 150

$61.2 SAR 230

-34.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 SAR 9.26

$2.19 SAR 8.21

12.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.30 SAR 4.87

40.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.50 SAR 39.41

$6.56 SAR 24.62

60.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-1.64%

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

$26.9K SAR 100.8K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

24.68%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.0K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

-10.06%

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

$76.5 SAR 287

$125 SAR 468

-38.67%

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

$34.77 SAR 130

$34.88 SAR 131

-0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 SAR 255

$81.1 SAR 304

-16.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 SAR 326

$109 SAR 410

-20.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.61 SAR 130

$36.43 SAR 137

-5.00%

Cinema Ticket

$18.51 SAR 69.5

$17.66 SAR 66.3

4.81%

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

$407 SAR 1,528

$304 SAR 1,140

34.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,582 SAR 17.2K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

-40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.60 SAR 84.8

$64.5 SAR 242

-64.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 SAR 235

$69.2 SAR 260

-9.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 SAR 226

$99.5 SAR 373

-39.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SAR 188

$78.1 SAR 293

-35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 SAR 851

$439 SAR 1,648

-48.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 SAR 1,090

$405 SAR 1,521

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 SAR 2,599

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 SAR 3,871

$811 SAR 3,043

27.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,446 SAR 24.2K

$2,399 SAR 9,003

168.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,302 SAR 8,638

$1,466 SAR 5,502

57.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 SAR 4,070

$1,861 SAR 6,983

-41.71%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Mecca and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 72% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $218 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 29% 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 72% 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: $227 in Mecca versus $439 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 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $407 in Mecca versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,046 in Mecca versus $1,346 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 29% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.