Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,872 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,533 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 16% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.31 SAR 27.42

-18.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$53.6 SAR 201

-38.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.98 SAR 29.94

-11.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.70 SAR 13.89

-53.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.92 SAR 3.43

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.35 SAR 1.30

122.86%

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)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.09 SAR 7.85

-33.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-2.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.06 SAR 22.73

-27.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.15 SAR 26.85

-21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.62 SAR 36.12

-7.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.11 SAR 7.93

10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.50 SAR 5.62

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.38 SAR 5.20

8.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-16.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-10.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.55 SAR 2.07

52.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-71.21%

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)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.89 SAR 3.36

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$40.16 SAR 151

3.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-55.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.65 SAR 9.96

-26.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-41.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.64 SAR 2.42

48.44%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

-21.39%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

24.58%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$117 SAR 438

-29.50%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$38.34 SAR 144

-75.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$63.5 SAR 238

-61.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$70.9 SAR 266

-63.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$30.51 SAR 114

-37.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.54 SAR 58.3

-74.71%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$415 SAR 1,559

-25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

-26.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$66.9 SAR 251

-12.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$68.2 SAR 256

-52.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$90.8 SAR 341

12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$85.5 SAR 321

26.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$447 SAR 1,678

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$375 SAR 1,408

0.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$800 SAR 3,002

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$641 SAR 2,407

12.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,309 SAR 4,914

113.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$805 SAR 3,020

50.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,895 SAR 7,110

-72.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.33

210.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 270% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $184, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ad Dammam earns 270% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 3% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ad Dammam 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 20% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.