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: $1,719 in Riyadh versus $978 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Riyadh versus $1,472 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,405 in Riyadh versus $1,965 in Mecca.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 76% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Mecca is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$4.55 SAR 17.08

71.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$27.00 SAR 101

136.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$6.94 SAR 26.07

13.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.61 SAR 6.05

29.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.61 SAR 6.04

85.09%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$2.62 SAR 9.83

73.28%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.72 SAR 2.70

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.23 SAR 0.86

30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.01 SAR 3.80

18.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-0.44%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.42 SAR 9.09

26.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$6.45 SAR 24.23

55.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$8.03 SAR 30.17

26.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$12.76 SAR 47.92

23.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.04 SAR 7.67

32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.66 SAR 6.23

12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.61 SAR 6.04

40.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.63 SAR 6.13

4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.13 SAR 4.26

7.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.31 SAR 4.90

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.10 SAR 4.14

53.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.50 SAR 1.86

8.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$4.20 SAR 15.76

87.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.08 SAR 7.80

24.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.71 SAR 25.20

14.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$1.90 SAR 7.14

67.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.72 SAR 6.46

5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.53 SAR 50.8

0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$48.0K SAR 180.4K

-26.53%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

4.35%

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

$100 SAR 376

$74.4 SAR 279

34.78%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$34.06 SAR 128

-2.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$67.9 SAR 255

1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$77.4 SAR 291

17.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$34.11 SAR 128

63.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$12.06 SAR 45.31

11.69%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$398 SAR 1,494

34.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$4,586 SAR 17.2K

134.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$22.97 SAR 86.3

158.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$58.8 SAR 221

-9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$49.77 SAR 187

121.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$51.0 SAR 192

103.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$597 SAR 2,241

95.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$313 SAR 1,175

160.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,113

$1,531 SAR 5,749

41.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$514 SAR 1,931

137.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$6,400 SAR 24.0K

-54.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$2,281 SAR 8,568

-15.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$1,093 SAR 4,107

87.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.25

5.52%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $597 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 88% 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: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $195 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 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 88% 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: $1,169 in Riyadh versus $597 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,719 per month in Riyadh versus $978 in Mecca – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Mecca versus $1,719 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 76% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.