Cost of Living Comparison Between Lira and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lira and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $425 per month in Lira vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $679 per month in Lira vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $934 per month in Lira vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Lira is about 75% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lira sits 69% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-67.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.40 UGX 104.0K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-44.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 UGX 30.3K

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-22.04%

Cappuccino

$2.61 UGX 10.3K

$3.13 COP 9,937

-16.61%

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

$0.25 UGX 983

$1.91 COP 6,058

-86.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UGX 982

$1.51 COP 4,794

-83.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 UGX 3,034

$3.12 COP 9,917

-75.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 UGX 7,117

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-68.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 UGX 3,359

$1.44 COP 4,587

-40.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 UGX 4,043

$2.49 COP 7,894

-58.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,478

$1.77 COP 5,631

-21.47%

Eggs

$1.53 UGX 6,034

$2.96 COP 9,396

-48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.67 UGX 18.4K

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-53.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-50.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 UGX 20.2K

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-64.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 UGX 8,585

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-47.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 UGX 4,811

$1.61 COP 5,106

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,457

$2.25 COP 7,129

-38.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,917

$2.25 COP 7,150

-44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 UGX 4,974

$2.04 COP 6,486

-38.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,508

$1.54 COP 4,873

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 UGX 3,379

$1.17 COP 3,715

-26.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 2,067

$1.31 COP 4,148

-60.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-32.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-42.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 UGX 4,106

$1.74 COP 5,534

-40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 UGX 8,178

$2.87 COP 9,112

-27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 UGX 1,984

$1.31 COP 4,155

-61.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,243

$2.19 COP 6,944

-85.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 UGX 13.2K

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-61.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,527

$1.37 COP 4,334

2.19%

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

$7,911 UGX 31.2M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-71.58%

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

$7,925 UGX 31.2M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-77.85%

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

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

$177 COP 562.9K

-57.20%

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

$12.34 UGX 48.6K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.06 UGX 149.9K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 UGX 30.6K

$6.65 COP 21.1K

16.84%

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

$262 UGX 1.0M

$813 COP 2.6M

-67.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,518 UGX 33.5M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-7.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.93 UGX 58.8K

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-83.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.82 UGX 54.4K

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-76.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.96 UGX 137.7K

$138 COP 438.8K

-74.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 UGX 183.6K

$102 COP 324.2K

-54.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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 Lira: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Lira versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $305 – making Lira 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

Lira vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 295%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $638 per month in Lira and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $425 in Lira and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $262 per month in Lira and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lira, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Lira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lira – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lira. 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.