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: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Mecca versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Mecca versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 41% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 22% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-40.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$53.9 SAR 202

-25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$7.97 SAR 29.91

15.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-5.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-31.60%

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-19.85%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.77 SAR 2.88

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-33.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-4.24%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.69 SAR 10.10

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-18.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-13.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-6.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.59 SAR 5.96

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-26.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$0.52 SAR 1.94

26.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-46.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.79 SAR 6.70

11.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-10.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$7.41 SAR 27.83

7.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.08 SAR 4.07

26.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$36.88 SAR 138

8.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-27.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.84 SAR 6.93

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-7.81%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-25.01%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-10.76%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$106 SAR 398

-27.21%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$35.14 SAR 132

0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$76.9 SAR 289

-12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$106 SAR 399

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$59.9 SAR 225

-41.76%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$16.22 SAR 60.9

15.17%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$465 SAR 1,747

-14.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-51.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$58.3 SAR 219

-61.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$65.1 SAR 244

-2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$110 SAR 413

-46.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$101 SAR 378

-49.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-79.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$843 SAR 3,164

-65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-66.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-7.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

119.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$1,938 SAR 7,279

18.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-46.12%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 86% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $225 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 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 86% 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: $226 in Mecca versus $1,110 in Riyadh. 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 $1,758 in Riyadh – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,758 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 69% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.