Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhahran Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhahran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,332 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,029 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,725 in Dhahran, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Dhahran are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Dhahran 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.23 SAR 19.64

14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$40.50 SAR 152

-18.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.14 SAR 26.78

-0.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.77 SAR 14.14

-54.64%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.74 SAR 2.78

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.17 SAR 0.63

358.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.49 SAR 5.60

-26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.17 SAR 4.39

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.18 SAR 8.18

-36.70%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.83 SAR 25.62

-35.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.84 SAR 33.18

-36.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.24 SAR 8.41

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.38 SAR 5.20

-23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.37 SAR 5.13

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.89 SAR 3.34

30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 SAR 2.15

47.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-76.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-18.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$40.72 SAR 153

1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.35 SAR 5.08

8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-42.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.65 SAR 2.43

46.15%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

-44.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

9.13%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$104 SAR 391

-21.01%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$36.18 SAR 136

-73.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$73.6 SAR 276

-67.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$183 SAR 688

-85.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$36.00 SAR 135

-47.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.90 SAR 44.66

-66.97%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$414 SAR 1,553

-25.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

-39.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.4 SAR 223

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$76.7 SAR 288

-57.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$84.4 SAR 317

21.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$97.8 SAR 367

10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$439 SAR 1,648

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$383 SAR 1,436

-1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$836 SAR 3,138

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$615 SAR 2,308

17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,110 SAR 4,166

151.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,066 SAR 3,999

13.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-82.31%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $439 in Dhahran. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 465% higher in Dhahran, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $200 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhahran costs about 32% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,998 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,332 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Dhahran at $1,332. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,332 in Dhahran. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dhahran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.