Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Dhahran vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Dhahran vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Dhahran vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Dhahran is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Dhahran sits 5% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.34

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-32.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.08 SAR 151

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-16.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 SAR 22.70

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-38.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$2.91 COP 9,167

37.11%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.94 COP 6,122

-63.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$1.52 COP 4,792

-86.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$1.36 COP 4,296

16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$2.39 COP 7,519

-60.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.70 COP 5,356

17.65%

Eggs

$3.90 SAR 14.64

$2.87 COP 9,038

35.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 SAR 33.05

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-11.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 SAR 41.92

$10.78 COP 34.0K

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 SAR 51.6

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-48.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.57 COP 4,950

-12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$2.13 COP 6,695

-15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$2.21 COP 6,972

-21.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$2.05 COP 6,447

-25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.50 COP 4,737

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.19 COP 3,747

65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$1.16 COP 3,647

-20.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.81 SAR 18.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 SAR 21.17

$3.90 COP 12.3K

44.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$1.17 COP 3,679

-34.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$1.28 COP 4,045

2.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 SAR 12.57

$2.09 COP 6,589

60.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 SAR 35.48

$8.62 COP 27.1K

9.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.30 COP 4,088

-51.54%

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

$53.4K SAR 200.5K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

93.09%

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

$20.4K SAR 76.8K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-42.41%

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

$60.2 SAR 226

$176 COP 554.5K

-65.80%

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

$43.47 SAR 163

$13.37 COP 42.1K

225.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 SAR 243

$29.89 COP 94.1K

116.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 SAR 731

$44.76 COP 141.0K

334.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$91.4 SAR 343

$17.06 COP 53.7K

435.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 SAR 39.82

$6.20 COP 19.5K

71.13%

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

$65.8 SAR 247

$793 COP 2.5M

-91.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K SAR 49.5K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

46.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 SAR 189

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-41.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 SAR 159

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 SAR 285

$136 COP 429.3K

-44.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$103 COP 324.7K

-13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 SAR 1,330

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-66.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$680 COP 2.1M

-34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,854 SAR 10.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

328.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.94

-58.87%

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

Last update for Dhahran: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Dhahran versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 329% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dhahran versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $303 – making Dhahran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dhahran vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 32% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,950 per month in Dhahran and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,300 in Dhahran and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $65.8 per month in Dhahran and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,300, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhahran costs $1,300 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dhahran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.