Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubumbashi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubumbashi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,117 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,556 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Lubumbashi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Lubumbashi costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lubumbashi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lubumbashi 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 CDF 28.3K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

108.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 CDF 223.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

199.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 CDF 22.5K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

39.77%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CDF 9,031

$1.71 COP 6,115

132.75%

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

$0.97 CDF 2,209

$1.10 COP 3,924

-11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 CDF 4,012

$1.68 COP 5,997

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CDF 5,600

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-19.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CDF 4,570

$1.09 COP 3,906

84.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 CDF 2,618

$1.26 COP 4,508

-8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 CDF 6,628

$1.38 COP 4,922

111.59%

Eggs

$2.63 CDF 5,972

$2.19 COP 7,827

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 CDF 34.5K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

245.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 CDF 16.7K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 CDF 35.3K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

74.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 CDF 4,573

$2.34 COP 8,349

-14.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 CDF 6,687

$1.06 COP 3,777

178.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 CDF 11.6K

$1.50 COP 5,374

240.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CDF 6,677

$1.38 COP 4,924

113.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CDF 5,581

$1.15 COP 4,111

113.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CDF 4,431

$1.16 COP 4,155

68.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 CDF 2,244

$0.89 COP 3,182

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CDF 2,881

$0.84 COP 2,997

51.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 CDF 9,146

$2.28 COP 8,145

76.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 CDF 28.8K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CDF 2,730

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CDF 4,724

$2.47 COP 8,824

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 CDF 2,233

$0.86 COP 3,056

13.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 CDF 10.1K

$1.47 COP 5,264

203.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.82 CDF 22.3K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

26.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CDF 3,084

$0.95 COP 3,409

43.16%

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

$24.7K CDF 56.1M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

36.27%

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

$29.5K CDF 66.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

11.24%

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

$98.9 CDF 224.5K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

20.24%

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

$20.35 CDF 46.2K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

114.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CDF 134.8K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

144.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 CDF 164.0K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

178.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$132 CDF 299.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

-57.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,465 CDF 10.1M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-25.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.38 CDF 50.8K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-61.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.32 CDF 50.7K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-31.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CDF 137.3K

$103 COP 366.4K

-41.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 CDF 191.4K

$108 COP 387.2K

-22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 CDF 1.7M

$476 COP 1.7M

60.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 CDF 565.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,858 CDF 6.5M

$838 COP 3.0M

240.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 CDF 4.1M

$724 COP 2.6M

150.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$988 CDF 2.2M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-64.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 CDF 1.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-58.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,068 CDF 2.4M

$512 COP 1.8M

108.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Lubumbashi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Lubumbashi versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 109% higher in Lubumbashi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Lubumbashi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Lubumbashi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,117 in Lubumbashi, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 10% apart. Lubumbashi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,676 per month in Lubumbashi and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,117 in Lubumbashi and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $132 per month in Lubumbashi and $309 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Lubumbashi at $1,117. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lubumbashi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,117 in Lubumbashi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lubumbashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.