Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Mecca vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Mecca vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,769 per month in Mecca vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Mecca is about 11% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mecca and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Mecca 21% lower, Jeddah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$6.54 SAR 24.53

-25.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$40.72 SAR 153

-2.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$8.21 SAR 30.82

14.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.19 SAR 8.23

-26.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-23.81%

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$3.58 SAR 13.44

-11.73%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$0.70 SAR 2.64

24.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.25 SAR 0.94

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.96 SAR 3.58

-7.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.30 SAR 8.61

-2.61%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.75 SAR 10.34

8.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-4.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$7.64 SAR 28.69

9.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$12.34 SAR 46.33

8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.16 SAR 8.12

6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.57 SAR 5.90

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.55 SAR 5.82

14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$1.54 SAR 5.78

32.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.21 SAR 4.54

2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.05 SAR 3.96

0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.60 SAR 2.23

13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

$4.08 SAR 15.31

-0.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.95 SAR 7.33

2.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$6.76 SAR 25.36

18.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-3.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$39.64 SAR 149

2.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$3.23 SAR 12.13

-24.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-2.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-31.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-4.76%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-0.59%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

0.09%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$105 SAR 393

-25.92%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$32.31 SAR 121

9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$70.1 SAR 263

-6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$90.9 SAR 341

-3.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$45.17 SAR 170

-22.58%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$13.12 SAR 49.25

41.69%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$400 SAR 1,500

1.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

-28.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$64.6 SAR 242

-65.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$58.1 SAR 218

7.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$92.5 SAR 347

-36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$84.4 SAR 317

-39.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$501 SAR 1,881

-53.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$390 SAR 1,464

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$899 SAR 3,374

-25.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$618 SAR 2,321

65.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$1,625 SAR 6,100

300.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$1,014 SAR 3,805

120.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$1,657 SAR 6,218

-35.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

4.5

22.22%

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

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Mecca versus $501 in Jeddah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 54% higher in Jeddah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mecca versus $41.00 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Mecca vs $196 in Jeddah – so Jeddah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,065 in Mecca, $1,202 in Jeddah – roughly 13% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,598 per month in Mecca and $1,803 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mecca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mecca and $41.00 in Jeddah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,065 in Mecca and $1,202 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mecca, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Jeddah at $1,202. In Mecca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mecca – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mecca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.