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: $1,207 in Dammam versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Dammam versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Dammam is roughly 19% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 10% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.28

$5.95 COP 21.2K

13.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.67 SAR 153

$33.33 COP 118.9K

22.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$7.23 COP 25.8K

7.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.67

$1.63 COP 5,811

123.31%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$1.09 COP 3,904

-25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.73 COP 2,604

-58.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.05 COP 3,742

56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$1.29 COP 4,614

-20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.32 COP 4,718

78.79%

Eggs

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$2.27 COP 8,101

14.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.90

$4.35 COP 15.5K

58.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$5.88 COP 21.0K

28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 SAR 47.85

$8.61 COP 30.7K

47.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.25 COP 8,015

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.07 COP 3,814

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.52 COP 5,438

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.42 COP 5,073

10.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.17 COP 4,173

5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.01

$1.17 COP 4,166

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$0.89 COP 3,163

53.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.90 COP 3,215

-35.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SAR 27.22

$2.25 COP 8,008

222.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.84 COP 2,979

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 SAR 149

$41.95 COP 149.6K

-5.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$1.41 COP 5,019

93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.15

$1.90 COP 6,779

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.59 SAR 51.0

$7.75 COP 27.6K

75.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.01 COP 3,586

-40.59%

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

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

53.69%

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

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-13.43%

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

$106 SAR 399

$83.7 COP 298.4K

27.03%

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

$33.85 SAR 127

$9.45 COP 33.7K

258.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 SAR 265

$24.11 COP 86.0K

192.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 SAR 358

$25.31 COP 90.3K

276.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.96 SAR 131

$19.14 COP 68.3K

82.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 SAR 54.1

$4.10 COP 14.6K

251.22%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$312 COP 1.1M

13.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

27.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 SAR 209

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-3.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 SAR 235

$32.56 COP 116.1K

92.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SAR 319

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-14.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$109 COP 387.1K

-26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,613

$482 COP 1.7M

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 SAR 1,401

$379 COP 1.4M

-1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 SAR 3,283

$837 COP 3.0M

4.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,372

$723 COP 2.6M

-12.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 SAR 6,677

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-37.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 SAR 4,154

$1,223 COP 4.4M

-9.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Dammam and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Dammam vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $190 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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,810 in Dammam and $1,525 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: $430 in Dammam versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Dammam versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 5% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,207 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 19% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.