Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,041 in Mecca.

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

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

Living in Riyadh is roughly 69% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$4.88 SAR 18.32

67.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$40.07 SAR 150

34.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$9.21 SAR 34.60

-13.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.59 SAR 5.95

6.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.58 SAR 5.95

46.20%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$3.19 SAR 11.98

24.76%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.29 SAR 1.08

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.67 SAR 6.25

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.89 SAR 3.34

49.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.26 SAR 8.49

4.42%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.92 SAR 25.99

22.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$8.58 SAR 32.23

15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$13.57 SAR 50.9

6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.31 SAR 8.67

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.57 SAR 5.88

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.87 SAR 7.02

0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.20 SAR 4.49

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.22 SAR 4.57

19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.05 SAR 3.94

36.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.66 SAR 2.46

-21.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$4.25 SAR 15.95

85.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-10.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.16 SAR 8.12

11.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.94 SAR 29.81

-6.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-21.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$39.83 SAR 150

-7.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.35 SAR 8.83

37.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.83 SAR 6.87

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$10.56 SAR 39.64

24.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.59 SAR 2.22

8.47%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

33.35%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

12.06%

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

$106 SAR 398

$77.1 SAR 289

37.39%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$35.21 SAR 132

-0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$67.3 SAR 253

14.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$84.8 SAR 318

25.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$34.89 SAR 131

71.71%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-13.17%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$399 SAR 1,500

16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

106.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$22.32 SAR 83.8

161.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$63.5 SAR 239

2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$59.2 SAR 222

85.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$51.3 SAR 192

96.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$226 SAR 849

390.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$290 SAR 1,090

190.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$686 SAR 2,576

195.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$1,041 SAR 3,909

8.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-54.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$2,305 SAR 8,656

-15.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,089 SAR 4,088

85.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

5.5

-3.45%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $226 in Mecca. 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: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $208 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

Riyadh vs Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 86% higher in Riyadh, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,758 per month in Riyadh versus $1,041 in Mecca – 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, Riyadh and Mecca 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.