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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,232 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,861 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,490 in Dammam.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 19% less than in Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Dammam 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.52 SAR 24.47

-9.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$40.70 SAR 153

-19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-6.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.60 SAR 13.52

-54.17%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.75 SAR 2.80

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.28 SAR 1.03

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.05 SAR 3.93

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.29 SAR 8.60

-39.74%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.58 SAR 9.69

-15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.81 SAR 25.56

-34.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.69 SAR 28.88

-24.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.16 SAR 49.40

-31.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.28 SAR 8.55

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.61 SAR 6.03

-34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.56 SAR 5.86

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.23 SAR 4.62

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.37 SAR 5.16

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.34 SAR 5.04

-32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.59 SAR 2.22

52.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.82 SAR 10.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.04 SAR 26.45

-68.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.05 SAR 3.92

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$40.75 SAR 153

2.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.64 SAR 9.93

-46.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.81 SAR 6.81

7.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.55 SAR 50.9

-41.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.59 SAR 2.23

67.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.1K SAR 101.7K

-35.03%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.3K SAR 87.7K

14.79%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$105 SAR 395

-21.18%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.28 SAR 129

-71.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$72.2 SAR 271

-67.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$93.5 SAR 351

-72.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$36.34 SAR 136

-47.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-72.70%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$353 SAR 1,327

-10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,445 SAR 28.0K

-19.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$55.2 SAR 207

8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$62.8 SAR 236

-49.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$83.7 SAR 314

21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$81.0 SAR 304

32.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$430 SAR 1,615

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$386 SAR 1,450

-3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$864 SAR 3,245

-1.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$632 SAR 2,374

13.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,761 SAR 6,612

85.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,102 SAR 4,139

30.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dammam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 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 $193 vs $200 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,849 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: $475 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,232 in Dammam – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 2% less than in Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,232 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 23% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.