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: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 63% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Mecca is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$4.89 SAR 18.35

67.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$39.53 SAR 148

34.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$9.39 SAR 35.24

-13.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.62 SAR 6.08

5.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.60 SAR 6.01

39.37%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.16 SAR 11.87

29.43%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.87 SAR 3.25

-18.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.64 SAR 6.16

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.89 SAR 3.34

43.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.24 SAR 8.41

4.91%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$7.04 SAR 26.43

22.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.63

$8.39 SAR 31.49

19.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$13.38 SAR 50.2

8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.31 SAR 8.69

1.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.61 SAR 6.06

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.77 SAR 6.65

4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.26 SAR 4.73

2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.24 SAR 4.67

18.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.06 SAR 3.96

36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.68 SAR 2.56

-22.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

$4.04 SAR 15.18

101.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.00 SAR 7.52

-14.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.07 SAR 7.76

14.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.30

$8.01 SAR 30.07

-5.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-16.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.59 SAR 152

-9.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.44 SAR 9.14

34.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.83 SAR 6.89

1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$10.59 SAR 39.75

27.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.26

5.00%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

27.50%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

9.22%

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

$104 SAR 391

$77.7 SAR 291

34.17%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$35.25 SAR 132

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$65.8 SAR 247

16.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$87.6 SAR 329

19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$34.97 SAR 131

66.69%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-13.02%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$404 SAR 1,518

13.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

111.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$22.51 SAR 84.5

164.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$62.5 SAR 235

2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$58.8 SAR 221

81.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$51.1 SAR 192

96.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$231 SAR 868

363.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$282 SAR 1,059

198.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,609

$669 SAR 2,510

203.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$1,026 SAR 3,851

6.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-52.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,248

$2,238 SAR 8,400

-13.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$1,075 SAR 4,035

109.51%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 110% 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: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $207 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 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Riyadh pays 110% more on average, 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: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,739 per month in Riyadh versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 11% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,739 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 63% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.