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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,302 per month in Dhahran vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Dhahran vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,697 per month in Dhahran vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Dhahran costs about 26% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dhahran and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 3% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-13.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$32.60 COP 106.1K

22.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$7.34 COP 23.9K

0.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$1.72 COP 5,600

113.37%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.05 COP 3,420

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.73

$0.77 COP 2,515

-74.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$1.05 COP 3,423

43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.30 COP 4,236

-9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.40 COP 4,544

54.29%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$2.16 COP 7,047

9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.61

$4.39 COP 14.3K

49.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 SAR 32.83

$5.88 COP 19.1K

48.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$8.64 COP 28.1K

56.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$2.28 COP 7,426

-4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.11 COP 3,604

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.53 COP 4,983

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.35 COP 4,410

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.13 COP 3,674

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.13 COP 3,692

-13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$0.85 COP 2,753

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.91 COP 2,975

-37.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 SAR 34.59

$2.34 COP 7,630

293.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.84 COP 2,728

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 SAR 151

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-0.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.42 COP 4,623

-3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.92 COP 6,235

22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$7.66 COP 24.9K

73.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.99 COP 3,223

-35.35%

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

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

76.40%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-8.25%

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

$106 SAR 397

$80.8 COP 263.1K

30.78%

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

$36.75 SAR 138

$9.95 COP 32.4K

269.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$24.18 COP 78.7K

198.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$184 SAR 689

$25.08 COP 81.7K

631.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$19.15 COP 62.3K

85.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 SAR 45.42

$3.98 COP 13.0K

204.02%

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

$403 SAR 1,515

$305 COP 993.5K

32.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

59.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$58.1 COP 189.2K

2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 SAR 281

$32.20 COP 104.8K

131.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 SAR 322

$101 COP 327.9K

-14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 SAR 360

$108 COP 350.8K

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,650

$477 COP 1.6M

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,431

$376 COP 1.2M

1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,153

$845 COP 2.7M

-0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,378

$730 COP 2.4M

-13.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 SAR 4,165

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-65.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,955

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-23.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

367.60%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $477 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 368% 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 $40.00 in Dhahran versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $193 – 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 26% 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 $1,953 per month in Dhahran and $1,546 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 $1,302 in Dhahran and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $1,031, than in Dhahran at $1,302. 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 $1,031 versus $1,302 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.