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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Dammam versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 11% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 SAR 147

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.87

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-15.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$2.94 COP 9,040

21.09%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.86 COP 5,735

-56.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.04

$1.46 COP 4,479

-80.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.44 COP 4,428

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$2.40 COP 7,389

-56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$1.70 COP 5,228

37.65%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.89 COP 8,896

-14.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-26.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 SAR 48.85

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-39.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.58 COP 4,878

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.15 COP 6,624

-23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.30 COP 7,078

-31.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$2.00 COP 6,169

-38.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.51 COP 4,646

-7.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.20 COP 3,701

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.28 COP 3,946

-53.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 SAR 27.75

$3.84 COP 11.8K

92.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$1.25 COP 3,834

-13.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.25 SAR 151

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-48.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.08

$1.31 COP 4,016

104.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.17 COP 6,680

-11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$8.29 COP 25.5K

62.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.36 COP 4,172

-56.62%

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-4.88%

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

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-35.63%

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

$106 SAR 397

$169 COP 519.2K

-37.29%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$13.57 COP 41.8K

144.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$28.32 COP 87.2K

148.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 SAR 359

$45.71 COP 140.7K

109.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.61 SAR 138

$17.22 COP 53.0K

112.60%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 SAR 53.8

$6.65 COP 20.5K

115.19%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$803 COP 2.5M

-56.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-17.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 SAR 211

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-35.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 SAR 242

$59.4 COP 182.7K

8.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SAR 319

$139 COP 427.5K

-38.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$102 COP 314.0K

-19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,646

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-59.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$653 COP 2.0M

-41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SAR 3,321

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,379

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-39.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 SAR 6,502

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-58.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 SAR 4,139

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-35.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

10.94

-59.60%

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

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Dammam and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Dammam vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $300 per month, with 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

Dammam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,840 in Dammam and $2,462 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Dammam versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Dammam versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 94% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 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 Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.