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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Dhahran vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Dhahran vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Dhahran vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Dhahran costs about 32% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dhahran and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 1% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 SAR 152

$32.86 COP 117.4K

23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.78

$7.09 COP 25.3K

0.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$3.77 SAR 14.14

$1.71 COP 6,115

120.47%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$1.10 COP 3,924

-32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$0.78 COP 2,781

-78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.09 COP 3,906

36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.26 COP 4,508

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$1.38 COP 4,922

57.97%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.19 COP 7,827

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.62

$4.40 COP 15.7K

55.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 SAR 33.18

$5.63 COP 20.1K

57.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$8.89 COP 31.8K

51.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.34 COP 8,349

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.06 COP 3,777

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.50 COP 5,374

8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.38 COP 4,924

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.15 COP 4,111

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.16 COP 4,155

-23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.89 COP 3,182

23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.84 COP 2,997

-32.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 SAR 35.72

$2.28 COP 8,145

317.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.86 COP 3,056

22.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.72 SAR 153

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-1.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.47 COP 5,264

-8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$1.96 COP 7,009

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$7.74 COP 27.6K

74.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.95 COP 3,409

-31.58%

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

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

78.96%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-8.37%

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

$104 SAR 391

$82.3 COP 293.7K

26.60%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$9.50 COP 33.9K

280.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 SAR 276

$24.23 COP 86.5K

203.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$183 SAR 688

$25.89 COP 92.4K

607.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$19.00 COP 67.9K

89.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 SAR 44.66

$3.93 COP 14.0K

202.80%

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

$414 SAR 1,553

$309 COP 1.1M

33.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

66.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$58.7 COP 209.5K

1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 SAR 288

$32.35 COP 115.5K

137.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 SAR 317

$103 COP 366.4K

-17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 SAR 367

$108 COP 387.2K

-9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$476 COP 1.7M

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,436

$379 COP 1.4M

1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,138

$838 COP 3.0M

-0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,308

$724 COP 2.6M

-15.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-60.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-12.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

465.34%

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 Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $476 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 465% higher in Dhahran, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Dhahran versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Dhahran costs about 32% more than Medellin, 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 $1,998 per month in Dhahran and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,332 in Dhahran and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Dhahran at $1,332. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,332 in Dhahran. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dhahran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.