Cost of Living Comparison Between Iganga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iganga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $444 in Iganga versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $700 in Iganga versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $955 in Iganga versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Iganga costs roughly 73% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iganga is 68% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 UGX 10.5K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-66.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 UGX 103.8K

$48.29 COP 148.7K

-44.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 UGX 29.0K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-20.38%

Cappuccino

$2.54 UGX 9,821

$2.94 COP 9,045

-13.61%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,526

$1.86 COP 5,738

-79.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 UGX 1,175

$1.46 COP 4,481

-79.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,220

$3.21 COP 9,887

-57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UGX 7,333

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-66.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 UGX 3,313

$1.44 COP 4,431

-40.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 UGX 3,872

$2.40 COP 7,393

-58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,428

$1.70 COP 5,230

-17.65%

Eggs

$1.53 UGX 5,903

$2.89 COP 8,901

-47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.57 UGX 17.7K

$10.06 COP 31.0K

-54.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 UGX 19.4K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-49.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 UGX 20.4K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-62.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 UGX 8,043

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-47.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 UGX 4,680

$1.58 COP 4,880

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,229

$2.15 COP 6,627

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 UGX 4,764

$2.30 COP 7,082

-46.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 UGX 5,044

$2.00 COP 6,172

-34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,220

$1.51 COP 4,648

-10.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 UGX 3,310

$1.20 COP 3,703

-28.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 UGX 2,156

$1.28 COP 3,948

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-29.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 UGX 31.4K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 UGX 4,043

$1.71 COP 5,259

-38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 UGX 7,659

$2.74 COP 8,444

-27.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 1,993

$1.31 COP 4,018

-60.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,226

$2.17 COP 6,684

-85.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,629

$1.36 COP 4,174

7.35%

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

$7,878 UGX 30.4M

$27.5K COP 84.6M

-71.32%

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

$7,963 UGX 30.8M

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-78.21%

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

$74.6 UGX 288.1K

$169 COP 519.5K

-55.81%

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

$12.29 UGX 47.5K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-9.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.07 UGX 147.1K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

34.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 UGX 30.0K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

16.84%

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

$266 UGX 1.0M

$803 COP 2.5M

-66.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,638 UGX 33.4M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-6.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.00 UGX 57.9K

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-82.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.82 UGX 53.4K

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-76.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.00 UGX 131.4K

$139 COP 427.7K

-75.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.46 UGX 183.4K

$102 COP 314.2K

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

10.94

89.67%

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

Last update for Iganga: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $27.00 in Iganga vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $300 per month, with Iganga 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

Iganga vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iganga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 270% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $666 in Iganga and $2,462 in Medellin 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.

Childcare runs $266 in Iganga versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iganga – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $444 in Iganga versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iganga but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Iganga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iganga 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, Iganga and Medellin 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 Iganga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 270% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.