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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Medina vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Medina vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,219 per month in Medina vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Medina costs about 23% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 10% above the global median, while Jeddah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 SAR 20.55

$6.54 SAR 24.53

-16.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 SAR 118

$40.72 SAR 153

-22.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.68

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-0.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$2.19 SAR 8.23

-25.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-16.19%

Cappuccino

$2.55 SAR 9.56

$3.58 SAR 13.44

-28.77%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$0.70 SAR 2.64

17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$0.25 SAR 0.94

56.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-6.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$0.96 SAR 3.58

2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.30 SAR 8.61

3.04%

Eggs

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$2.75 SAR 10.34

-22.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.35

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 SAR 26.13

$7.64 SAR 28.69

-8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 SAR 47.44

$12.34 SAR 46.33

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.16 SAR 8.12

11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$1.57 SAR 5.90

34.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.55 SAR 5.82

45.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.54 SAR 5.78

6.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.32 SAR 4.94

3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.21 SAR 4.54

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$0.60 SAR 2.23

45.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$4.08 SAR 15.31

-67.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-12.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-33.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.44

$6.76 SAR 25.36

12.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-22.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.18 SAR 140

$39.64 SAR 149

-6.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$3.23 SAR 12.13

-59.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-12.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.48

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-64.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-21.48%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

-1.33%

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

$199 SAR 748

$105 SAR 393

90.03%

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

$33.10 SAR 124

$32.31 SAR 121

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$70.1 SAR 263

49.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 SAR 283

$90.9 SAR 341

-17.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 SAR 33.80

$45.17 SAR 170

-80.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 SAR 49.38

$13.12 SAR 49.25

0.30%

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

$290 SAR 1,088

$400 SAR 1,500

-27.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

18.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.12 SAR 139

$64.6 SAR 242

-42.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$58.1 SAR 218

-9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 SAR 247

$92.5 SAR 347

-28.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$84.4 SAR 317

14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$501 SAR 1,881

-15.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$390 SAR 1,464

42.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 SAR 2,670

$899 SAR 3,374

-20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,547

$618 SAR 2,321

-33.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 SAR 8,782

$1,625 SAR 6,100

43.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 SAR 4,929

$1,014 SAR 3,805

29.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 SAR 4,940

$1,657 SAR 6,218

-20.56%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Medina versus $501 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 26% 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 $31.00 in Medina versus $41.00 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $200 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: $1,478 in Medina, $1,202 in Jeddah – roughly 23% apart. Medina costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,217 per month in Medina and $1,803 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 $31.00 in Medina and $41.00 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 $1,478 in Medina and $1,202 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 $1,202, than in Medina at $1,478. 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.