Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Medina vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Medina vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,255 per month in Medina vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Medina costs about 19% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 9% above the global median, while Jeddah is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 SAR 21.48

$6.51 SAR 24.46

-12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.52 SAR 118

$39.65 SAR 149

-20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$7.80 SAR 29.29

1.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-27.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-19.52%

Cappuccino

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-35.19%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$0.70 SAR 2.64

11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 SAR 1.57

$0.25 SAR 0.94

68.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.66

$0.94 SAR 3.53

3.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.23 SAR 8.38

4.04%

Eggs

$2.05 SAR 7.71

$2.63 SAR 9.88

-22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-9.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 SAR 26.61

$7.77 SAR 29.19

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 SAR 46.72

$12.38 SAR 46.51

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.18 SAR 8.19

7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

$1.57 SAR 5.89

31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.54 SAR 5.80

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.58 SAR 5.94

8.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.33 SAR 4.98

7.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.25 SAR 4.68

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.10 SAR 4.15

-10.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 SAR 3.29

$0.55 SAR 2.07

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$4.21 SAR 15.79

-67.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-7.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-34.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.61 SAR 28.57

$6.79 SAR 25.51

12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-16.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 SAR 139

$39.89 SAR 150

-7.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$3.17 SAR 11.90

-58.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 SAR 20.99

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-62.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.60 SAR 2.24

8.33%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-20.61%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

0.91%

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

$203 SAR 763

$108 SAR 406

88.07%

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

$33.06 SAR 124

$32.30 SAR 121

2.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$69.6 SAR 261

50.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 SAR 285

$91.1 SAR 342

-16.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.10 SAR 34.18

$45.14 SAR 170

-79.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$13.21 SAR 49.62

2.12%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$407 SAR 1,527

-29.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

15.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$62.7 SAR 236

-39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$57.9 SAR 217

-7.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 SAR 251

$94.9 SAR 356

-29.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 SAR 370

$83.8 SAR 315

17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 SAR 1,633

$507 SAR 1,903

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,082

$384 SAR 1,442

44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 SAR 2,674

$904 SAR 3,395

-21.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,574

$601 SAR 2,256

-30.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,267 SAR 8,513

$1,646 SAR 6,179

37.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 SAR 5,046

$1,015 SAR 3,813

32.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 SAR 5,030

$1,660 SAR 6,233

-19.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Medina versus $507 in Jeddah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Jeddah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Medina versus $40.00 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Medina vs $196 in Jeddah – so Jeddah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medina vs Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,451 in Medina, $1,218 in Jeddah – roughly 19% apart. Medina costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,177 per month in Medina and $1,827 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeddah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Medina and $40.00 in Jeddah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,451 in Medina and $1,218 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Medina at $1,451. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeddah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jeddah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.