SA flag
Jeddah

Saudi Arabia

vs
SA flag
Riyadh

Saudi Arabia

Climate

Jeddah logs 10 outdoor-dinner months a year to Riyadh's 8 — Jeddah wins by 2. Riyadh also leads on hot days by 13.

JeddahRiyadh
Sunny days
352345
Hot days
246233
Frost days
00
Rain days
134
Outdoor dinner months
10/128/12
Avg wind
4.8 m/s3.7 m/s
Sunshine hours
3,4723,428
Darkest month sun
248 hrs/mo241 hrs/mo
UV peak month
10.610.8

Jeddah

Feels-like °C

24
24
29
34
37
39
38
39
39
36
31
27

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Riyadh

Feels-like °C

13
17
23
29
36
41
43
42
38
32
24
16

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Jeddah is $93/mo cheaper

Jeddah runs about $1,392/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Riyadh's $1,485/mo — Jeddah comes in $93 cheaper each month, roughly 7% less.

Jeddah

$1,392

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $1,066Comfort $2,416
Cheaper than 67%in Among 15 Middle East cities

Riyadh

$1,485

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $1,142Comfort $2,685
Cheaper than 60%in Among 15 Middle East cities

Mobility

On mobility, Jeddah scores 2.2 vs Riyadh's 2.0 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on walkability. Riyadh still holds an edge on public transit.

2.2/5
vs
2.0/5
JeddahRiyadh
FlightsAirport
Car EfficiencyFlightsAirport
Jeddah leads

Culture

Jeddah and Riyadh score neck-and-neck on culture (2.3 vs 2.3, 0–5 scale).

2.3/5
vs
2.3/5
JeddahRiyadh
Theatre

Nature & Outdoors

Jeddah's nature & outdoors score of 4.2 sits well above Riyadh's 2.3, with the biggest gap on sea access. Riyadh still holds an edge on rock climbing.

4.2/5
vs
2.3/5
JeddahRiyadh
SeaLakesRunningCampingBeachSurfingDiving
RunningCampingClimbing
Jeddah leads

Safety

Jeddah and Riyadh score neck-and-neck on safety (3.8 vs 3.8, 0–5 scale).

3.8/5
vs
3.8/5
JeddahRiyadh
RoadFlooding
RoadFlooding

Career

Riyadh's career score of 4.0 sits well above Jeddah's 3.1, with the biggest gap on career opportunities.

3.1/5
vs
4.0/5
JeddahRiyadh
JobsEconomyStartupsCoworking
JobsEconomyStartupsCoworking
Riyadh leads

Social & Community

Jeddah's social & community score is ~1.2× Riyadh's — below average, while Riyadh lands below average, with the biggest gap on urban energy.

2.4/5
vs
2.0/5
JeddahRiyadh
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityMulticultural MixUrban EnergyGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Jeddah leads

Food & Dining

Jeddah and Riyadh score neck-and-neck on food & dining (2.4 vs 2.2, 0–5 scale).

2.4/5
vs
2.2/5
JeddahRiyadh
Delivery
Delivery
Jeddah leads

Family

Jeddah and Riyadh score neck-and-neck on family (2.2 vs 2.4, 0–5 scale).

2.2/5
vs
2.4/5
JeddahRiyadh
Intl SchoolsUniversitiesGroceriesGymSpa
Intl SchoolsUniversitiesGroceriesGymSpa
Riyadh leads

Healthcare

Jeddah and Riyadh score neck-and-neck on healthcare (3.1 vs 3.1, 0–5 scale).

3.1/5
vs
3.1/5
JeddahRiyadh
Private Healthcare
Private Healthcare

Air Quality

Jeddah averages 74.7 µg/m³ (very unhealthy) PM2.5 annually versus Riyadh's 81.0 µg/m³ (very unhealthy) — Jeddah breathes ~8% cleaner air (6.3 µg/m³ lower).

Jeddah

Riyadh

74.7µg/m³
81.0µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Very Unhealthy
Very Unhealthy

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Jeddah (4.8M) and Riyadh (8.0M) are 1.6x in population — Riyadh is the larger metro, Jeddah the smaller; on land area Riyadh spans roughly 1.6x more ground.

1.6x

Riyadh is roughly 1.6x the scale of Jeddah

Combined population & area comparison

SA flagRiyadh
1.6x
SA flagJeddah
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.SA flagRiyadh8.0M1.6x
2.SA flagJeddah4.8M1x
Area
1.SA flagRiyadh1,108 km²1.6x
2.SA flagJeddah696 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
32 km49 km

SA flagJeddah

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
46 km44 km

SA flagRiyadh

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Jeddah vs Riyadh

Which is cheaper, Jeddah or Riyadh?
Jeddah is approximately $93 per month cheaper. Jeddah averages $1,392/mo while Riyadh averages $1,485/mo.
How does the climate compare between Jeddah and Riyadh?
Sunny days: 352 vs 345 d — Similar Annual sunshine: 3,472 vs 3,428 hrs — Similar Winter sunshine: 248 vs 241 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 246 vs 233 d — Riyadh lower Frost days: 0 vs 0 d — Similar Rainy days: 13 vs 4 d — Similar
Is Jeddah or Riyadh safer?
Both cities have similar safety profiles, scoring around 3.8/5 on our aggregate safety index covering street safety, property crime, and natural hazards.
Should I move to Jeddah or Riyadh?
Jeddah and Riyadh are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Jeddah is generally more affordable, while Riyadh may offer different lifestyle advantages. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Jeddah and Riyadh stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

Take the free diagnostic

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