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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,503 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 15% less than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$7.45 SAR 27.99

-17.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$53.0 SAR 199

-38.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-7.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$3.55 SAR 13.34

-51.55%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.92 SAR 3.44

14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.38 SAR 1.42

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.42 SAR 5.32

-8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$2.12 SAR 7.96

-33.96%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.99 SAR 22.48

-26.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.32 SAR 27.49

-19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.07 SAR 37.81

-14.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.09 SAR 7.85

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$1.39 SAR 5.23

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.37 SAR 5.15

-17.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$1.29 SAR 4.86

-34.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.55 SAR 2.08

65.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-69.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.94 SAR 3.51

-10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$39.30 SAR 148

3.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-57.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-29.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-43.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$0.61 SAR 2.29

62.30%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-18.88%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

27.67%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$118 SAR 444

-31.72%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$38.60 SAR 145

-74.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$63.4 SAR 238

-61.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$70.7 SAR 266

-64.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$30.89 SAR 116

-38.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.30 SAR 57.5

-73.99%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$427 SAR 1,602

-28.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

-26.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$68.0 SAR 255

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$67.8 SAR 255

-52.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$90.5 SAR 340

11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$86.1 SAR 323

25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$452 SAR 1,697

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$376 SAR 1,413

-0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$792 SAR 2,976

6.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$636 SAR 2,388

14.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,320 SAR 4,956

143.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$812 SAR 3,051

68.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,502 SAR 5,640

-58.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 143% 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 $53.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $185, 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 17% 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, salaries run 143% lower in Ad Dammam. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam – a 17% 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 $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,211 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 $1,031 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 17% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.