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: $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,056 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Mecca versus $1,668 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mecca versus $2,280 in Jubail.

Living in Mecca is roughly 1% more expensive than Jubail, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 21% lower, Jubail 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$6.78 SAR 25.44

-27.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$39.87 SAR 150

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$9.15 SAR 34.34

2.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-11.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$2.90 SAR 10.89

-44.83%

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$3.32 SAR 12.46

-4.82%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$0.77 SAR 2.89

12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.26 SAR 0.98

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.02 SAR 3.82

-12.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.62 SAR 6.08

38.27%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.39 SAR 8.97

24.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$7.94 SAR 29.80

-11.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$7.02 SAR 26.35

19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$11.06 SAR 41.52

20.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.34 SAR 8.78

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.56 SAR 5.86

13.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$1.35 SAR 5.06

51.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.18 SAR 4.43

6.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.30 SAR 4.89

-4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-24.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.60 SAR 2.26

13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

$2.98 SAR 11.18

35.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.90 SAR 7.15

5.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$7.19 SAR 26.99

11.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$0.94 SAR 3.54

39.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$25.57 SAR 96.0

58.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-38.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.84 SAR 6.92

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$17.07 SAR 64.1

-37.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-1.64%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$20.3K SAR 76.0K

32.07%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$23.8K SAR 89.4K

-10.02%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$98.2 SAR 369

-20.94%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$31.55 SAR 118

11.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$62.8 SAR 235

4.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$87.2 SAR 327

0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$35.55 SAR 133

-1.63%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$13.64 SAR 51.2

36.29%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$201 SAR 754

101.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$8,531 SAR 32.0K

-46.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$38.67 SAR 145

-41.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$62.9 SAR 236

-0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$83.5 SAR 313

-29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$79.5 SAR 299

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$406 SAR 1,522

-43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$281 SAR 1,056

0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$633 SAR 2,376

5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$488 SAR 1,831

110.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$2,576 SAR 9,667

152.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$1,272 SAR 4,775

75.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$1,623 SAR 6,090

-33.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jubail: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mecca and $406 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Mecca vs $40.00 in Jubail. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 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

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Mecca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Jubail earns 51% 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: $231 in Mecca versus $406 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Mecca versus $1,056 in Jubail – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 59% less than in Mecca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,056 in Jubail versus $1,065 in Mecca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Mecca. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Mecca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.