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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,302 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,999 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,697 in Dhahran, rent included.

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Dhahran are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dhahran 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.30 SAR 19.91

16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$40.06 SAR 150

-18.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.35 SAR 27.58

-0.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.67 SAR 13.79

-53.13%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.70 SAR 2.62

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 SAR 0.73

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.51 SAR 5.68

-30.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.18 SAR 4.43

10.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-35.19%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.55 SAR 24.61

-32.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.74 SAR 32.82

-32.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.55 SAR 50.9

-36.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.17 SAR 8.15

5.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.42 SAR 5.34

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.30 SAR 4.88

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.98 SAR 3.66

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.07 SAR 4.01

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 SAR 2.15

59.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.21 SAR 34.59

-74.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$40.24 SAR 151

0.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.37 SAR 5.13

3.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-18.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.26 SAR 49.79

-42.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.64 SAR 2.39

54.69%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

-43.31%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

8.99%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$106 SAR 397

-23.53%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$36.75 SAR 138

-72.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$72.3 SAR 271

-66.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$184 SAR 689

-86.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.54 SAR 133

-46.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$12.10 SAR 45.42

-67.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$403 SAR 1,514

-24.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

-37.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.7 SAR 224

-2.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$74.7 SAR 281

-56.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$85.8 SAR 322

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$95.9 SAR 360

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$439 SAR 1,650

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$381 SAR 1,430

-1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$840 SAR 3,153

0.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$633 SAR 2,377

15.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,109 SAR 4,164

189.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,053 SAR 3,955

30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

-78.61%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 368% 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 $40.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $198 – 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 26% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,953 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,302 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $1,031, than in Dhahran at $1,302. 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 $1,031 versus $1,302 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.