Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Qatif vs $1,224 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,673 per month in Qatif vs $1,836 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Qatif vs $2,448 in Jeddah, rent included.

Qatif is about 13% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Qatif and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 21% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.81

$6.62 SAR 24.85

-48.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 SAR 176

$39.31 SAR 148

19.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$8.06 SAR 30.24

-2.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

$2.07 SAR 7.77

-10.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$2.07 SAR 7.76

-8.70%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.31

$3.80 SAR 14.25

-6.58%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$0.69 SAR 2.61

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.23 SAR 0.86

13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.68 SAR 6.31

2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.02

$0.95 SAR 3.56

-14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$2.25 SAR 8.45

-10.67%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.62

$7.23 SAR 27.14

-12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$7.85 SAR 29.48

-8.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.61

$12.61 SAR 47.31

-20.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.10 SAR 7.87

-0.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.59 SAR 5.97

-7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-10.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.53 SAR 5.72

-54.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.16

$1.21 SAR 4.54

14.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.06 SAR 3.96

8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.54 SAR 2.04

-5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$4.22 SAR 15.83

-37.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

$1.97 SAR 7.41

-21.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.24

$2.49 SAR 9.34

-22.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SAR 29.33

$6.86 SAR 25.73

13.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.29 SAR 4.86

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.34 SAR 148

$39.47 SAR 148

-0.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.24

$3.18 SAR 11.92

2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-16.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.52

$14.97 SAR 56.2

-11.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.62 SAR 2.34

-3.23%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$26.8K SAR 100.7K

-17.06%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

-7.23%

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

$105 SAR 396

$108 SAR 406

-2.63%

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

$36.22 SAR 136

$31.68 SAR 119

14.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 SAR 229

$69.7 SAR 262

-12.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$87.9 SAR 330

8.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

$45.28 SAR 170

26.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.49 SAR 58.1

$13.24 SAR 49.69

16.99%

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

$393 SAR 1,476

$410 SAR 1,539

-4.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

$6,604 SAR 24.8K

27.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SAR 198

$63.3 SAR 238

-16.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 SAR 192

$59.1 SAR 222

-13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SAR 343

$92.6 SAR 348

-1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 SAR 323

$82.9 SAR 311

3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$498 SAR 1,869

-27.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$383 SAR 1,437

-24.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 SAR 2,606

$903 SAR 3,387

-23.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,811

$601 SAR 2,255

-19.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 SAR 3,612

$1,623 SAR 6,091

-40.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 SAR 2,927

$1,014 SAR 3,804

-23.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,308 SAR 8,661

$1,652 SAR 6,199

39.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.5

-3.78%

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

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Qatif versus $498 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 40% higher in Qatif, 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 $47.00 in Qatif versus $39.00 in Jeddah. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $196 in Jeddah – so Qatif 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

Qatif vs Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,059 in Qatif, $1,224 in Jeddah – roughly 16% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Qatif and $1,835 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qatif, 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 $47.00 in Qatif and $39.00 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 $1,059 in Qatif and $1,224 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 Qatif, where all-in costs run around $1,059, than in Jeddah at $1,224. In Qatif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qatif – 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 Qatif. 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.