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: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Dammam is roughly 21% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 8% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$5.93 COP 19.1K

12.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$33.12 COP 106.6K

19.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$7.12 COP 22.9K

11.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$1.71 COP 5,487

119.88%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$1.05 COP 3,374

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.72 COP 2,324

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.06 COP 3,426

52.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.31 COP 4,215

-22.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$1.33 COP 4,279

70.68%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.28 COP 7,338

11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$4.42 COP 14.2K

56.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$5.92 COP 19.0K

25.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$8.64 COP 27.8K

51.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.34 COP 7,545

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.10 COP 3,546

53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.47 COP 4,724

11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.38 COP 4,439

13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.17 COP 3,774

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.17 COP 3,765

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$0.90 COP 2,905

48.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.84 COP 2,708

-25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$2.33 COP 7,490

201.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.84 COP 2,702

26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$40.83 COP 131.4K

-0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.41 COP 4,541

84.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.91 COP 6,160

-2.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$7.83 COP 25.2K

68.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.94 COP 3,037

-32.98%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

50.40%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

-13.52%

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

$103 SAR 386

$83.3 COP 267.9K

23.53%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$9.66 COP 31.1K

253.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$24.22 COP 77.9K

194.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$25.22 COP 81.2K

277.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$19.33 COP 62.2K

84.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$4.07 COP 13.1K

259.46%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$307 COP 986.5K

13.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

24.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$60.0 COP 192.9K

-8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$32.65 COP 105.1K

95.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$101 COP 325.2K

-17.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$108 COP 347.6K

-25.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$476 COP 1.5M

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$379 COP 1.2M

0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$816 COP 2.6M

7.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$707 COP 2.3M

-12.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$3,190 COP 10.3M

-44.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$1,446 COP 4.7M

-24.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

13.43

-67.09%

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

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $192 per month, with Medellin 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

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $1,527 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: $445 in Dammam versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Dammam versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 1% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $1,233 in Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dammam, 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.