Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 17% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$6.16 COP 20.0K

20.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$32.60 COP 106.0K

62.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.34 COP 23.9K

7.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$1.72 COP 5,592

106.40%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.05 COP 3,416

-12.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.77 COP 2,511

-50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.05 COP 3,418

56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.30 COP 4,230

9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$1.40 COP 4,538

51.43%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.16 COP 7,037

6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$4.39 COP 14.3K

36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$5.88 COP 19.1K

24.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.81

$8.64 COP 28.1K

16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.28 COP 7,415

-8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.11 COP 3,599

39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.53 COP 4,976

-9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.35 COP 4,405

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.13 COP 3,669

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.13 COP 3,687

21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$0.85 COP 2,749

51.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.91 COP 2,971

-39.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$2.34 COP 7,619

231.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$0.84 COP 2,724

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$1.42 COP 4,617

133.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.92 COP 6,227

42.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$7.66 COP 24.9K

77.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.99 COP 3,219

-38.38%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

23.27%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-21.68%

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

$118 SAR 444

$80.8 COP 262.7K

46.45%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$9.95 COP 32.3K

287.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$24.18 COP 78.6K

162.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$25.08 COP 81.5K

182.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$19.15 COP 62.3K

61.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$3.98 COP 13.0K

284.42%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$305 COP 992.2K

39.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$58.1 COP 189.0K

17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$32.20 COP 104.7K

110.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$101 COP 327.5K

-10.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$108 COP 350.3K

-20.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$477 COP 1.5M

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$376 COP 1.2M

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,976

$845 COP 2.7M

-6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,388

$730 COP 2.4M

-12.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-58.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-40.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,640

$617 COP 2.0M

143.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

13.43

-67.76%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 143% 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 Ad Dammam vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $193, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ad Dammam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Ad Dammam, 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.