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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Lira vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $686 per month in Lira vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $943 per month in Lira vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Lira is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lira and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lira 68% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 UGX 10.2K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-53.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.88 UGX 100.6K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 UGX 32.0K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

14.94%

Cappuccino

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$1.65 COP 5,207

64.85%

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

$0.27 UGX 1,008

$1.10 COP 3,468

-75.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 UGX 1,006

$0.78 COP 2,458

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 UGX 3,158

$1.72 COP 5,412

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 UGX 2,678

$1.10 COP 3,474

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 UGX 4,473

$1.26 COP 3,962

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 UGX 4,985

$1.38 COP 4,349

-3.62%

Eggs

$1.81 UGX 6,795

$2.18 COP 6,858

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-6.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 UGX 19.0K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-51.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

$2.32 COP 7,308

16.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 UGX 5,566

$1.06 COP 3,352

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 UGX 6,547

$1.52 COP 4,774

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,922

$1.36 COP 4,270

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 UGX 5,865

$1.13 COP 3,552

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 UGX 7,218

$1.17 COP 3,689

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 UGX 3,949

$0.90 COP 2,838

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,032

$0.90 COP 2,823

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 UGX 10.9K

$2.23 COP 7,034

30.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 UGX 30.4K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,644

$1.19 COP 3,743

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 UGX 7,708

$2.48 COP 7,815

-16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 UGX 2,135

$1.42 COP 4,459

-59.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 964

$1.95 COP 6,141

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-47.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 UGX 5,599

$0.99 COP 3,118

51.52%

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

$9,050 UGX 33.9M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-48.59%

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

$8,631 UGX 32.3M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-67.79%

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

$42.95 UGX 160.8K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-48.26%

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

$14.30 UGX 53.5K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

47.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.05 UGX 161.2K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

83.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 UGX 24.0K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

62.28%

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

$161 UGX 601.9K

$316 COP 994.2K

-49.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,383 UGX 16.4M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-26.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.24 UGX 64.6K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-71.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.40 UGX 53.9K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-54.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.05 UGX 146.2K

$102 COP 320.1K

-61.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.91 UGX 179.4K

$107 COP 338.3K

-55.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

13.43

54.88%

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

Last update for Lira: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Lira versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $193 – 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 133%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $644 per month in Lira and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $430 in Lira and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Lira and $316 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 $430, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.