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: $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Mecca versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mecca versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 39% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 21% below, Riyadh is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-40.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$53.0 SAR 199

-25.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$8.11 SAR 30.45

15.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-5.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-28.25%

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-22.74%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$0.71 SAR 2.66

22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-30.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-4.68%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.73 SAR 10.23

9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-18.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-1.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$1.53 SAR 5.73

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-15.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-26.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.53 SAR 1.99

28.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-50.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.71 SAR 6.42

16.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-13.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$7.54 SAR 28.29

6.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.09 SAR 4.09

20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$36.73 SAR 138

10.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-25.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-21.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-4.76%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-21.57%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-8.44%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$104 SAR 391

-25.47%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$34.25 SAR 129

2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$77.0 SAR 289

-14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$105 SAR 394

-16.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$58.3 SAR 219

-40.01%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$16.17 SAR 60.7

14.97%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$457 SAR 1,716

-11.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-52.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$59.5 SAR 223

-62.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$64.1 SAR 241

-2.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$107 SAR 400

-44.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$100 SAR 376

-49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-78.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$841 SAR 3,158

-66.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-5.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

111.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$1,931 SAR 7,246

15.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-52.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.31

3.58%

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

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mecca and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 110% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $226 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Riyadh earns 110% 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 $1,072 in Riyadh. 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 $1,739 in Riyadh – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 11% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,739 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 63% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.