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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $429 per month in Lira vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $695 per month in Lira vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $961 per month in Lira vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Lira is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lira and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lira 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-51.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.25 UGX 98.4K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 UGX 32.0K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

18.12%

Cappuccino

$2.77 UGX 10.4K

$1.63 COP 5,687

69.94%

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

$0.27 UGX 997

$1.09 COP 3,821

-75.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 UGX 1,098

$0.73 COP 2,548

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 UGX 3,213

$1.74 COP 6,065

-50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 UGX 2,696

$1.05 COP 3,662

-31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 UGX 4,707

$1.29 COP 4,515

-2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,006

$1.32 COP 4,617

1.52%

Eggs

$1.83 UGX 6,849

$2.27 COP 7,927

-19.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.3K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 UGX 18.7K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-15.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 UGX 16.4K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-49.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

$2.25 COP 7,844

24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,462

$1.07 COP 3,733

36.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 UGX 6,520

$1.52 COP 5,322

14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,741

$1.42 COP 4,964

7.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,200

$1.17 COP 4,084

41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 UGX 6,907

$1.17 COP 4,077

57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 UGX 3,789

$0.89 COP 3,096

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 UGX 2,195

$0.90 COP 3,146

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

$2.25 COP 7,837

27.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 UGX 33.3K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,409

$1.14 COP 3,977

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 UGX 7,707

$2.38 COP 8,301

-13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 UGX 2,195

$1.41 COP 4,912

-58.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,052

$1.90 COP 6,634

-85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 UGX 15.5K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-46.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 UGX 5,637

$1.01 COP 3,509

48.51%

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

$9,137 UGX 34.2M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-48.02%

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

$8,852 UGX 33.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-66.59%

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

$42.77 UGX 160.3K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-48.89%

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

$14.59 UGX 54.7K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

54.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.32 UGX 166.1K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

83.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 UGX 22.9K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

48.78%

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

$163 UGX 612.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 UGX 16.2M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-27.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.97 UGX 63.6K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-70.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.06 UGX 52.7K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-56.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.25 UGX 143.4K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-61.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.56 UGX 178.3K

$109 COP 378.8K

-56.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Lira versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 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 137%, 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 $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $429 in Lira and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Lira and $312 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 $429, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.