Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Mecca versus $1,736 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $2,592 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $3,447 in Riyadh.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 44% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 29% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$7.72 SAR 28.99

-40.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$64.3 SAR 241

-58.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-19.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.81 SAR 6.79

-16.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$2.84 SAR 10.67

-46.48%

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$4.38 SAR 16.44

-40.18%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$0.86 SAR 3.23

-22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.34 SAR 1.28

-32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.70 SAR 6.40

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-28.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-9.50%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-26.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$9.55 SAR 35.87

-35.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$9.80 SAR 36.81

-15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$15.00 SAR 56.3

-16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-12.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-35.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$1.11 SAR 4.16

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.39 SAR 5.21

-2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-39.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

$8.02 SAR 30.12

-49.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-1.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-11.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-8.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.05 SAR 3.94

27.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-44.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-4.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$13.30 SAR 49.94

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.59 SAR 2.20

1.69%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

32.63%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

-4.23%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$95.6 SAR 359

-20.63%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$31.83 SAR 120

10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$70.0 SAR 263

-3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$91.6 SAR 344

-14.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$54.8 SAR 206

-37.29%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$13.76 SAR 51.7

-12.21%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$539 SAR 2,023

-27.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-59.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$59.9 SAR 225

-62.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$58.4 SAR 219

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$111 SAR 415

-56.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$104 SAR 391

-51.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$1,189 SAR 4,464

-51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$851 SAR 3,195

-62.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$2,177 SAR 8,174

-30.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$1,274 SAR 4,782

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

118.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$1,891 SAR 7,100

21.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$2,104 SAR 7,902

-48.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.54

-5.23%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 95% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $238 per month, with Mecca cheaper across the board.

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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Riyadh. 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 $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Mecca versus $1,736 in Riyadh – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,736 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Riyadh, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mecca and Riyadh 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 78% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.