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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,207 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,868 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,530 in Dammam.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.73 SAR 25.26

-11.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$40.67 SAR 153

-18.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-7.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.64 SAR 13.66

-55.22%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.81 SAR 3.05

34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.30 SAR 1.14

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.02 SAR 3.81

26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-44.07%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.59 SAR 9.73

-12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.90 SAR 25.89

-36.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.53 SAR 28.25

-21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.74 SAR 47.82

-32.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-37.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-9.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.23 SAR 4.60

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.33 SAR 5.00

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-35.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 SAR 2.19

55.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 10.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$7.25 SAR 27.20

-68.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$39.81 SAR 149

5.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.91 SAR 7.15

-0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.59 SAR 51.0

-42.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.60 SAR 2.24

68.33%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

-34.93%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.9K SAR 86.1K

15.52%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$106 SAR 399

-21.28%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.85 SAR 127

-72.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$70.6 SAR 265

-65.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$95.4 SAR 358

-73.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$34.96 SAR 131

-45.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$14.40 SAR 54.1

-71.53%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$355 SAR 1,331

-12.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,665 SAR 28.8K

-21.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$55.8 SAR 209

4.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$62.7 SAR 235

-48.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$85.0 SAR 319

17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$80.3 SAR 301

35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$430 SAR 1,612

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$373 SAR 1,400

1.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$874 SAR 3,281

-4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$632 SAR 2,371

14.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,778 SAR 6,673

59.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,106 SAR 4,151

10.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.42

203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dammam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $430 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $198 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,810 in Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $430 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,207 in Dammam – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 5% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,207 in Dammam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dammam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and 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 19% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.