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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $428 per month in Lira vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $687 per month in Lira vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $945 per month in Lira vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Lira is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lira and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lira 68% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-51.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.67 UGX 98.9K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-18.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

20.14%

Cappuccino

$2.72 UGX 10.1K

$1.70 COP 6,140

60.00%

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

$0.27 UGX 997

$1.10 COP 3,966

-75.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 UGX 992

$0.72 COP 2,605

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 UGX 3,174

$1.67 COP 6,022

-48.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-8.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 UGX 2,586

$1.06 COP 3,809

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UGX 4,613

$1.25 COP 4,497

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,162

$1.39 COP 5,022

Eggs

$1.75 UGX 6,505

$2.26 COP 8,168

-22.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 UGX 16.4K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 UGX 18.8K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-13.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-53.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$2.24 COP 8,099

25.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 UGX 5,714

$1.08 COP 3,882

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 UGX 6,469

$1.53 COP 5,522

13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 UGX 5,731

$1.37 COP 4,950

13.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 UGX 5,820

$1.13 COP 4,078

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 UGX 6,922

$1.12 COP 4,036

66.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 UGX 3,815

$0.85 COP 3,057

21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,137

$0.91 COP 3,281

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 UGX 10.9K

$2.33 COP 8,414

26.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 UGX 35.7K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 UGX 4,446

$1.19 COP 4,309

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 UGX 7,873

$2.37 COP 8,553

-10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,023

$1.44 COP 5,184

-61.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,040

$1.91 COP 6,901

-85.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 UGX 15.1K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-49.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 UGX 5,606

$0.94 COP 3,385

60.64%

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

$9,008 UGX 33.4M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

-49.73%

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

$8,897 UGX 33.0M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-66.79%

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

$42.65 UGX 158.1K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-49.20%

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

$14.12 UGX 52.3K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

47.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.11 UGX 159.8K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

78.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 UGX 23.5K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

61.73%

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

$158 UGX 586.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

-48.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-27.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.72 UGX 62.0K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-71.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.35 UGX 53.2K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-54.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.74 UGX 143.7K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-61.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.14 UGX 174.8K

$107 COP 386.8K

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 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: $170 vs $190 – 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 141%, 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 $643 per month in Lira and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $428 in Lira and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $158 per month in Lira and $306 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 $428, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.