Cost of living in Jeddah, prices and what it is like to live for an Expat, quality of life / hardship, and compare cost of living for Expatriates as at January 2021.

What is it like to live in Jeddah?

Jeddah: Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. Jeddah is the principal gateway to Mecca, Islam's holiest city, which able-bodied Muslims are required to visit at least once in their lifetime. It is also a gateway to Medina ,the second holiest place in Islam.

Economy: Jeddah is the most cosmopolitan and tolerant of all Saudi Arabian cities, hosting expatriates from all over the world who have made Jeddah their home. Economically, Jeddah is focussing on further developing capital investment in scientific and engineering leadership within Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East.

Inflation: 5.3% for Saudi Arabia as at December 2020.

Jeddah Population: 4 Million (2020 est.)

Expat Life: In Saudi Arabia, Muslim sensitivities must be respected, such as avoiding public displays of affection. Expatriate dress code comprises business suits for men and loose-fitting clothing with long sleeves, hemlines and conservative necklines for women. In public, women must cover their heads and wear long loose-fitting clothes that cover their arms and legs. Wearing an abaya – traditional dress for local women – can be the simplest method of dressing to avoid attracting attention. The safety risk for expatriates in Saudi Arabia is medium. Risks include petty crime, the highly conservative Islamic society (particularly the religious police strict interpretation of Sharia law), and underlying safety threats. Other risks include the extremely high rate of road traffic accidents.

Health Care: Health care facilities are of a high standard in major cities. Most towns have a health centre or basic hospital, however serious cases may require evacuation to hospitals in a major city. The official Coronavirus COVID-19 total reported cases for Saudi Arabia as at 14 January 2021 is 364,440, with 6,310 deaths. The rate of deaths per 1 million population is 180. Current active cases is 1,929.

For other areas within the country see Saudi Arabia.

Cost Of Living

What is the cost of living in Jeddah?

The cost of living for expatriates in Jeddah as at January 2021 is average in comparison to other places in the world, with an overall Cost of Living Index (COLI), for all 13 basket groups, of 67.4 (New York =100). We have collected prices for the same items, world wide, based on Expat spending norms, in or closest to the location, and converted them to $USD so that we can compare the cost of 13 different baskets in 780 global locations. For each basket, compared to New York, the equivalent cost in Jeddah is as follows:

1) Alcohol and/or Tobacco: Cost is very low for tobacco related products such as cigarettes. A basket costing USD$1000 in New York costs USD$460.

2) Clothing: Cost is low for items such as business, casual and children's clothing and footwear. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$730. Average price for an international brand of mens jeans is USD$40, a quality international brand of running shoes USD$83, mens leather shoes suitable for office wear USD$72 while a medium size international summer dress from a global chain store is USD$47.

3) Communication: Cost is high for various communication costs such as home telephone rental, internet subscription, mobile service provider tariff and data costs. A basket costing USD$200 in New York costs USD$246. Average price for a monthly standard plan internet subscription is USD$60, while the benchmark mobile tariff is USD$0.12 per minute.

4) Education: Cost is high for items such as creche / pre-school fees, primary school fees, high school fees and tertiary study fees. A basket costing USD$30,000 in New York costs USD$29700. Average annual private international school fee (excluding extras) USD$19,333 for Primary School, and USD$21,514 for High School.

5) Furniture & Appliances: Cost is average for items such as dining table and chairs, home entertainment, kitchen appliances, and sofas. A basket costing USD$2,500 in New York costs USD$1800. Average price for a 6kg front loader Washing Machine is USD$658, and USD$565 for a 46+'' LED UHD TV.

6) Groceries: Cost is low for items such as consumables, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruit & vegetables, general food products, snacks, soft drinks. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$650. Average grocery prices in a major international retail store for 1 kg apples is USD$2.26, 1 kg oranges USD$1.69, 1 head lettuce USD$1.25, 1 kg potatos USD$1.25, 1 kg boneless, skinless, chicken breast USD$7.20, 1 kg cheddar cheese USD$6.86, 1 dozen large eggs USD$2.69, 500g loaf white bread USD$0.89, 1 L full cream milk USD$1.55, and 1.5 L water USD$0.71.

7) Healthcare: Cost is low for general heath care, doctor visits, hospital stays, non-prescription medicine, and medical insurance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$540. Average healthcare cost for a private practice Doctor visit for an uninsured patient is USD$43, and a private hospital stay per day including nursing care, medications, diagnostic tests, food, and related costs is USD$1,334.

8) Household Accommodation: Cost is average for items such as apartment rent, house rent, property purchase, mortgage rate, and utilities. A basket costing USD$5,000 in New York costs USD$2450. Average expatriate house / apartment rent for a secure upmarket unfurnished apartment (3 bedrooms) is USD$1,671 in a central location, and USD$1,128 in a suburban location, per month, excluding utilities.

9) Miscellaneous: Cost is high for items such as dry cleaning, linen, magazines, newspapers, office supplies, and postage stamps. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$525. Average price for dry cleaning (1 mens 2 pc suit) is USD$10.25, while an international newspaper is USD$3.16.

10) Personal Care: Cost is low for items such as cosmetics, hair care, and toiletries. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$270. Average cost for a mens haircut and blow dry is USD$21, while a womens hair colour, cut and blow dry - medium length is USD$107.

11) Recreation & Culture: Cost is very high for items such as books, cinema, sport and theatre tickets. A basket costing USD$500 in New York costs USD$595. Average price for a latest release international cinema ticket (average of on and off peak where applicable) for one adult is USD$20.14, and an international fitness, recreation or sports club membership cost for one adult is USD$111 per month.

12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Cost is average for items such as hotel daily room rates, meals and beverages in a restaurant, and take away food and beverages. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$570. Average cappuccino price (regular, medium) is USD$3.76, coke/pepsi (330ml) USD$0.88, burger meal (international franchise or similar) USD$7.88, and a mid-range international restaurant meal for 2 USD$35.43.

13) Transport: Cost is low for items such as fuel (petrol/gasoline), car hire, public transport, vehicle purchase and maintenance. A basket costing USD$1,000 in New York costs USD$700. Average average price over the last year for highest available octane petrol / gasoline (1L) is USD$0.40, while the benchmark car sedan purchase price including taxes/duties for a compact / small / economy vehicle (1.4 L) is USD$18,583.

How does the cost of living in Jeddah compare?

Jeddah is -16.3% cheaper than Houston TX for groceries, 25.5% more expensive for household costs than Kuala Lumpur, and 11% more expensive for transport costs than Dubai.

What is the quality of life / hardship in Jeddah?

Jeddah is ranked as an extreme hardship location.The hardship premium for Jeddah for an expat from Perth, is for example 30%, i.e. host location (Jeddah) premium of 40% minus home (Perth) location premium of 10%.

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