🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,238 in Dammam.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,848 in Dammam.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,458 in Dammam.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 17% less than in Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Dammam8% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$6.82SAR 25.59
-13.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$40.14SAR 151
-18.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$8.07SAR 30.25
-10.78%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.77SAR 6.62
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.82SAR 6.82
-
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$3.63SAR 13.63
-53.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.81SAR 3.04
35.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.30SAR 1.14
140.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.64SAR 6.16
-35.37%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.01SAR 3.77
23.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$2.37SAR 8.90
-41.35%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.44SAR 9.17
-7.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$7.07SAR 26.50
-38.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$7.41SAR 27.79
-21.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$13.20SAR 49.50
-33.11%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.28SAR 8.55
-1.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.61SAR 6.03
-32.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.58SAR 5.93
-3.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.60SAR 6.01
-14.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$1.27SAR 4.77
-11.02%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.32SAR 4.96
-15.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$1.31SAR 4.92
-35.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.62SAR 2.34
46.77%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$2.81SAR 10.54
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.74SAR 6.54
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.08SAR 7.81
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$7.31SAR 27.40
-68.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$1.08SAR 4.05
-26.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$40.21SAR 151
2.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$2.64SAR 9.90
-45.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$1.84SAR 6.89
3.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$13.08SAR 49.05
-38.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$0.64SAR 2.39
46.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$26.3KSAR 98.8K
-31.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$22.7KSAR 85.2K
17.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$105SAR 393
-19.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$34.19SAR 128
-71.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$71.3SAR 267
-66.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$95.2SAR 357
-72.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$35.44SAR 133
-46.28%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$14.61SAR 54.8
-73.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$353SAR 1,324
-13.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$7,486SAR 28.1K
-20.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$55.0SAR 206
5.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$64.1SAR 240
-50.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$85.2SAR 320
17.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$82.0SAR 307
30.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$434SAR 1,627
12.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$378SAR 1,417
-2.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$867SAR 3,251
-4.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$625SAR 2,346
14.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$1,757SAR 6,588
66.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,095SAR 4,107
28.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Dammam
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
4.42
203.85%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Dammam: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $434 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $40.00 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.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Dammam: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Dammam cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,857 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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Dammam?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $434 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Dammam?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,238 in Dammam – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
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.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Dammam?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,238 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.
Is Medellin or Dammam more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Dammam?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado