Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Jubail Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Jubail

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Mecca versus $1,063 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $1,680 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $2,297 in Jubail.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 8% less than in Jubail, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 29% lower, Jubail 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$6.47 SAR 24.30

-28.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$39.97 SAR 150

-33.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$8.95 SAR 33.59

-24.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.80 SAR 6.74

-15.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$2.19 SAR 8.21

-30.59%

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$3.83 SAR 14.37

-31.59%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$0.91 SAR 3.43

-26.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.27 SAR 1.02

-14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.50 SAR 5.63

19.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.40 SAR 5.26

-32.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.67 SAR 6.27

31.14%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.15 SAR 8.06

11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$8.98 SAR 33.72

-30.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$6.16 SAR 23.15

34.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$10.97 SAR 41.20

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.12 SAR 7.95

-6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-4.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.55 SAR 5.83

-3.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.73 SAR 6.50

-2.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$1.24 SAR 4.66

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.38 SAR 5.18

-1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-40.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.51 SAR 1.90

-1.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

$2.89 SAR 10.87

40.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

$2.09 SAR 7.84

-14.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.08 SAR 7.81

4.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$6.60 SAR 24.79

0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.28 SAR 4.81

4.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.05 SAR 90.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$3.37 SAR 12.64

-46.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$13.01 SAR 48.83

3.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-4.76%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$43.6K SAR 163.6K

7.80%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$20.6K SAR 77.5K

3.50%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$78.8 SAR 296

-3.74%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$28.13 SAR 106

25.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$66.6 SAR 250

1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$101 SAR 378

-22.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$39.86 SAR 150

-13.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-10.52%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$179 SAR 673

118.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$7,619 SAR 28.6K

-40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$40.90 SAR 154

-45.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$59.1 SAR 222

-0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$79.9 SAR 300

-39.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$87.6 SAR 329

-41.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$435 SAR 1,633

32.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$296 SAR 1,112

7.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$640 SAR 2,404

136.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$526 SAR 1,977

-3.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$2,778 SAR 10.4K

131.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$1,349 SAR 5,064

70.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$1,564 SAR 5,872

-30.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.62

-6.58%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Jubail: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $435 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 45% 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: $27.00 in Mecca vs $40.00 in Jubail. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $190, with Jubail cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Jubail. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mecca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Jubail. 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: $576 in Mecca versus $435 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $391 in Mecca versus $179 in Jubail. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mecca – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Jubail. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,063 in Jubail, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Jubail. 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 Jubail 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 9% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.