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: $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in Ad Dammam versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,450 in Ad Dammam versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 12% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 SAR 29.66

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 SAR 132

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-26.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 SAR 25.48

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-31.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$3.13 COP 9,767

-4.79%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.90

$1.91 COP 5,954

-59.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.77

$1.51 COP 4,712

-86.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.44 COP 4,509

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$2.49 COP 7,759

-49.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.77 COP 5,535

5.65%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.96 COP 9,235

-26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.26

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-27.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SAR 29.06

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-23.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.63

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-47.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.61 COP 5,019

3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.25 COP 7,007

-29.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.25 COP 7,028

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$2.04 COP 6,375

-45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.54 COP 4,790

-24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.17 COP 3,651

8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$1.31 COP 4,077

-55.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.45

$3.90 COP 12.2K

94.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$1.22 COP 3,792

-19.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.71 SAR 134

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-55.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$1.31 COP 4,084

109.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$2.19 COP 6,825

19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$8.71 COP 27.2K

55.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.37 COP 4,260

-56.20%

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

$66.7K SAR 250.4K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

139.53%

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

$21.0K SAR 79.0K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-41.17%

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

$127 SAR 478

$177 COP 553.2K

-28.26%

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

$32.69 SAR 123

$13.88 COP 43.3K

135.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$29.72 COP 92.8K

116.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 SAR 292

$44.88 COP 140.1K

73.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.77 SAR 108

$17.12 COP 53.4K

68.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$6.65 COP 20.7K

104.21%

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

$419 SAR 1,574

$813 COP 2.5M

-48.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,803 SAR 29.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-15.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.01 SAR 158

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-53.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 SAR 186

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-15.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$138 COP 431.2K

-29.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 SAR 344

$102 COP 318.7K

-10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 SAR 2,193

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-45.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 SAR 1,385

$663 COP 2.1M

-44.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SAR 3,700

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-47.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 SAR 2,529

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-34.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,416 SAR 5,319

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-66.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$600 SAR 2,253

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-64.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,520 SAR 5,708

$678 COP 2.1M

124.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

10.94

-46.07%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Ad Dammam and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ad Dammam vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $305 per month, with Ad Dammam 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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 124% 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: $584 in Ad Dammam versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 125% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,205 in Ad Dammam versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,205 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.