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: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Dammam is roughly 18% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$5.92 COP 21.2K

12.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$33.17 COP 118.7K

19.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$7.25 COP 25.9K

10.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$1.71 COP 6,137

108.19%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.09 COP 3,915

-25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.77 COP 2,743

-61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.06 COP 3,792

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$1.30 COP 4,657

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$1.38 COP 4,926

71.74%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.21 COP 7,908

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$4.52 COP 16.2K

48.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$5.80 COP 20.7K

29.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$8.97 COP 32.1K

42.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.29 COP 8,182

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.06 COP 3,791

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.51 COP 5,411

5.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.36 COP 4,869

14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.16 COP 4,146

6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.17 COP 4,174

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.83 COP 2,960

56.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.85 COP 3,043

-25.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$2.35 COP 8,423

203.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.79 COP 2,827

39.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-5.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.44 COP 5,140

89.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.90 COP 6,793

1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$7.70 COP 27.6K

74.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.03 COP 3,680

-37.86%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

48.10%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-14.40%

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

$106 SAR 397

$81.4 COP 291.4K

29.98%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$9.42 COP 33.7K

252.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$23.77 COP 85.1K

196.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$25.86 COP 92.6K

272.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$19.34 COP 69.2K

87.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$4.05 COP 14.5K

266.91%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$312 COP 1.1M

10.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

22.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-4.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$32.82 COP 117.5K

94.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$100 COP 359.6K

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$106 COP 380.3K

-23.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$490 COP 1.8M

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$371 COP 1.3M

3.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$838 COP 3.0M

4.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$715 COP 2.6M

-11.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-39.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$1,394 COP 5.0M

-20.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 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, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Dammam and $1,544 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: $428 in Dammam versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Dammam versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 6% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $1,215 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 18% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.