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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,218 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,844 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,471 in Dammam.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Dammam is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$6.75 SAR 25.36

18.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$40.61 SAR 153

17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.84 SAR 29.43

26.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.63 SAR 13.65

-13.77%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.79 SAR 2.98

141.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.30 SAR 1.14

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.65 SAR 6.21

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.06 SAR 3.98

134.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.28 SAR 8.58

-22.37%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.46 SAR 9.24

20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.00 SAR 26.29

43.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$7.68 SAR 28.86

31.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$13.20 SAR 49.58

8.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.30 SAR 8.63

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.62 SAR 6.10

38.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.63 SAR 6.13

38.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.25 SAR 4.68

63.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.32 SAR 4.97

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-10.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.64 SAR 2.40

104.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.84

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$7.10 SAR 26.69

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.10 SAR 4.13

10.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$39.92 SAR 150

101.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-52.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.83 SAR 6.88

19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$13.27 SAR 49.85

-34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.59 SAR 2.22

132.20%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

4.59%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

54.64%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$104 SAR 390

70.83%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$34.08 SAR 128

-59.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$70.7 SAR 266

-57.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$94.2 SAR 354

-52.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$37.14 SAR 140

-53.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$14.36 SAR 53.9

-53.69%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$347 SAR 1,303

134.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,536 SAR 28.3K

21.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$56.0 SAR 210

59.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$63.1 SAR 237

-6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$84.2 SAR 316

64.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$81.0 SAR 304

26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$437 SAR 1,641

143.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$382 SAR 1,434

73.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$887 SAR 3,331

112.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$632 SAR 2,373

62.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,768 SAR 6,641

136.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,097 SAR 4,119

52.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.42

147.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $437 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $41.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $200 per month, with Dammam 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

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $1,827 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $437 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,218 in Dammam – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 102% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,218 in Dammam versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.