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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,041 per month in Mecca vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Mecca vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,721 per month in Mecca vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Mecca is about 15% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mecca and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Mecca 22% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$6.51 SAR 24.46

-25.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$39.65 SAR 149

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$7.80 SAR 29.29

18.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-26.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-24.76%

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-15.61%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.70 SAR 2.64

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.25 SAR 0.94

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.23 SAR 8.38

1.35%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.63 SAR 9.88

12.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-6.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$7.77 SAR 29.19

10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$12.38 SAR 46.51

9.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.18 SAR 8.19

5.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.54 SAR 5.80

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.58 SAR 5.94

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-2.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.10 SAR 4.15

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$0.55 SAR 2.07

20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

$4.21 SAR 15.79

0.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.89 SAR 7.11

5.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$6.79 SAR 25.51

16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.30 SAR 4.87

5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$39.89 SAR 150

-0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$3.17 SAR 11.90

-25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-29.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-1.67%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-0.43%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

-1.81%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$108 SAR 406

-28.71%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$32.30 SAR 121

9.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$69.6 SAR 261

-3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$91.1 SAR 342

-6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$45.14 SAR 170

-22.71%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$13.21 SAR 49.62

41.41%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$407 SAR 1,527

-1.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

-27.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$62.7 SAR 236

-64.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$57.9 SAR 217

9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$94.9 SAR 356

-37.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$83.8 SAR 315

-38.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$507 SAR 1,903

-55.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$384 SAR 1,442

-24.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$904 SAR 3,395

-24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$601 SAR 2,256

73.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$1,646 SAR 6,179

288.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$1,015 SAR 3,813

127.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$1,660 SAR 6,233

-34.41%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Mecca versus $507 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 52% 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 $40.00 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $208 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: $1,041 in Mecca, $1,218 in Jeddah – roughly 17% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,561 per month in Mecca and $1,827 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 $40.00 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 $1,041 in Mecca and $1,218 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 $1,041, than in Jeddah at $1,218. 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.