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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,343 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,701 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,060 in Dhahran, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Dhahran is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.42 SAR 20.36

47.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$40.35 SAR 152

18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.17 SAR 23.18

60.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.93 SAR 14.75

-20.36%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.72 SAR 2.70

165.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.20 SAR 0.75

655.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-11.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.01 SAR 3.78

146.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-7.81%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.93 SAR 14.75

-24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$8.77 SAR 32.92

14.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$11.24 SAR 42.22

-9.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$13.99 SAR 52.5

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.15 SAR 8.06

92.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.38 SAR 5.18

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.79 SAR 6.73

25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.74 SAR 6.52

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.54 SAR 5.79

32.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.99 SAR 3.72

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-38.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.93 SAR 3.50

40.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$5.77 SAR 21.66

-32.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.78 SAR 2.91

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.31 SAR 4.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.23 SAR 12.15

-32.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$9.42 SAR 35.38

-7.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.65 SAR 2.44

110.77%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$52.0K SAR 195.1K

-46.43%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$20.2K SAR 75.7K

77.37%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$59.5 SAR 224

197.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$42.58 SAR 160

-67.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$66.4 SAR 249

-55.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$197 SAR 738

-77.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$94.8 SAR 356

-81.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$10.81 SAR 40.61

-38.48%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$65.3 SAR 245

1144.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$13.5K SAR 50.9K

-32.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$50.7 SAR 190

76.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$43.44 SAR 163

35.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$77.0 SAR 289

79.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$87.5 SAR 329

16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$354 SAR 1,328

200.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$444 SAR 1,669

49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,811 SAR 10.6K

-75.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.5

143.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $354 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 315% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $234 – making Dhahran 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

Medellin costs about 25% more than Dhahran, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,015 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,343 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $65.3 in Dhahran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,343, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhahran costs $1,343 versus $1,681 in Medellin. 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 Dhahran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.