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: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,048 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Mecca versus $1,664 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Mecca versus $2,281 in Jubail.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 1% less than in Jubail, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 22% lower, Jubail 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$6.80 SAR 25.53

-28.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$40.22 SAR 151

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.61

$9.24 SAR 34.69

-0.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-13.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$2.99 SAR 11.24

-47.16%

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.21 SAR 12.07

-0.62%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.83 SAR 3.13

9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.28 SAR 1.06

3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.82 SAR 6.85

-8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.94 SAR 3.55

-5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.67 SAR 6.26

35.33%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.52 SAR 9.47

17.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$8.10 SAR 30.43

-14.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.24

$6.90 SAR 25.91

24.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$11.14 SAR 41.84

21.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.38 SAR 8.95

-2.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.61 SAR 6.06

16.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.43 SAR 5.37

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.13 SAR 4.24

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.35 SAR 5.07

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.60 SAR 2.26

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

$2.86 SAR 10.74

48.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.92 SAR 7.23

4.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$7.20 SAR 27.05

10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$0.96 SAR 3.61

42.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$25.83 SAR 97.0

54.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.84

$3.95 SAR 14.82

-40.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-5.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$17.48 SAR 65.7

-39.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-9.23%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

30.30%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$24.1K SAR 90.4K

-13.04%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$98.8 SAR 371

-22.01%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$30.96 SAR 116

13.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$62.9 SAR 236

7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$87.5 SAR 329

-3.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$35.68 SAR 134

-2.21%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$13.73 SAR 51.5

36.05%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$201 SAR 754

99.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$8,549 SAR 32.1K

-45.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$37.48 SAR 141

-40.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$60.7 SAR 228

4.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$83.0 SAR 311

-28.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$80.9 SAR 304

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$403 SAR 1,512

-43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$274 SAR 1,030

5.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$640 SAR 2,402

7.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$496 SAR 1,864

109.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$2,494 SAR 9,365

156.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,657

$1,309 SAR 4,917

76.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$1,627 SAR 6,109

-33.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.33

3.19%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Jubail: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 49% 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 $40.00 in Jubail. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $191, 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 1% 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 49% 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: $226 in Mecca versus $403 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Mecca versus $1,048 in Jubail – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 54% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,048 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 1% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.