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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Medina vs $1,362 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,792 per month in Medina vs $2,108 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,254 per month in Medina vs $2,855 in Jeddah, rent included.

Medina is about 2% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medina and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Medina 3% lower, Jeddah 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 SAR 20.53

$6.69 SAR 25.13

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.95 SAR 120

$53.1 SAR 199

-39.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.25

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-4.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$2.51 SAR 9.42

-35.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-37.04%

Cappuccino

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$3.54 SAR 13.28

-26.27%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.91

$1.00 SAR 3.77

-22.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.24 SAR 0.89

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.53

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$1.01 SAR 3.80

-10.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$2.20 SAR 8.27

8.18%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.37 SAR 8.91

-12.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 SAR 19.52

$6.36 SAR 23.86

-18.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 SAR 26.28

$8.30 SAR 31.17

-15.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 SAR 47.87

$13.08 SAR 49.13

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$1.95 SAR 7.33

25.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.66 SAR 6.25

13.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$1.52 SAR 5.72

53.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.16 SAR 4.37

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.05

$1.29 SAR 4.83

3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 SAR 3.38

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$0.54 SAR 2.02

37.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$4.20 SAR 15.78

-69.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-19.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-36.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SAR 28.02

$6.45 SAR 24.21

15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-4.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.80 SAR 138

$54.9 SAR 206

-32.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$3.14 SAR 11.80

-57.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-3.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 SAR 21.01

$13.91 SAR 52.2

-59.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

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

$41.2K SAR 154.6K

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

-14.16%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

-5.23%

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

$151 SAR 568

$102 SAR 384

47.90%

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

$27.95 SAR 105

$38.54 SAR 145

-27.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.2 SAR 339

$67.6 SAR 254

33.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 SAR 294

$87.1 SAR 327

-9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 SAR 33.06

$41.18 SAR 155

-78.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$11.87 SAR 44.56

11.20%

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

$291 SAR 1,091

$728 SAR 2,733

-60.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,476 SAR 20.6K

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

-66.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.44 SAR 141

$68.9 SAR 259

-45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$59.8 SAR 224

-10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 SAR 247

$96.4 SAR 362

-31.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 SAR 257

$97.4 SAR 366

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 SAR 2,110

$773 SAR 2,904

-27.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 SAR 1,968

$531 SAR 1,994

-1.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 SAR 2,826

$1,464 SAR 5,497

-48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 SAR 2,119

$831 SAR 3,121

-32.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,260 SAR 8,487

$1,746 SAR 6,555

29.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 SAR 4,933

$1,145 SAR 4,301

14.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 SAR 4,980

$1,664 SAR 6,249

-20.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

5.39

-22.63%

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

Last update for Medina: September 1, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $562 in Medina versus $773 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 25% higher in Jeddah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Medina versus $53.0 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $196 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,331 in Medina, $1,362 in Jeddah – roughly 2% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,997 per month in Medina and $2,043 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, 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 $53.0 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 $1,331 in Medina and $1,362 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,331, than in Jeddah at $1,362. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medina – 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 Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.