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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,546 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,999 per month in Lubumbashi vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Lubumbashi costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lubumbashi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lubumbashi 18% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 CDF 27.6K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

99.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 CDF 228.3K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

211.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 CDF 22.7K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

37.33%

Cappuccino

$4.09 CDF 9,181

$1.72 COP 5,599

137.79%

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

$0.99 CDF 2,220

$1.05 COP 3,420

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 CDF 4,013

$1.69 COP 5,487

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 CDF 5,492

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-23.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CDF 4,574

$1.05 COP 3,423

94.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 CDF 2,573

$1.30 COP 4,236

-11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CDF 6,818

$1.40 COP 4,544

116.43%

Eggs

$2.63 CDF 5,902

$2.16 COP 7,046

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.26 CDF 34.3K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

247.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 CDF 16.4K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 CDF 34.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

76.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,606

$2.28 COP 7,425

-10.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 CDF 6,562

$1.11 COP 3,603

163.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 CDF 11.3K

$1.53 COP 4,982

228.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,684

$1.35 COP 4,410

120.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CDF 5,785

$1.13 COP 3,674

127.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 CDF 4,359

$1.13 COP 3,692

71.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CDF 2,302

$0.85 COP 2,753

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CDF 2,780

$0.91 COP 2,975

36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 CDF 8,810

$2.34 COP 7,629

67.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 CDF 28.6K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CDF 2,552

$1.20 COP 3,909

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 CDF 4,658

$2.49 COP 8,104

-16.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CDF 2,310

$0.84 COP 2,727

22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 CDF 10.4K

$1.42 COP 4,623

225.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 CDF 22.4K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

30.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CDF 3,039

$0.99 COP 3,223

36.36%

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

$25.2K CDF 56.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

39.77%

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

$30.4K CDF 68.2M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

14.03%

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

$102 CDF 228.1K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

25.64%

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

$19.84 CDF 44.6K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

99.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 CDF 136.3K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

150.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 CDF 163.1K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

189.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$132 CDF 297.2K

$305 COP 993.4K

-56.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,420 CDF 9.9M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-27.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.87 CDF 51.4K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-60.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.64 CDF 50.9K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-29.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 CDF 134.8K

$101 COP 327.9K

-40.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 CDF 189.1K

$108 COP 350.8K

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 CDF 1.7M

$477 COP 1.6M

62.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 CDF 564.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-33.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,921 CDF 6.6M

$845 COP 2.7M

245.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 CDF 4.0M

$730 COP 2.4M

142.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,013 CDF 2.3M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-68.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$501 CDF 1.1M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-63.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 CDF 2.4M

$617 COP 2.0M

73.76%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Lubumbashi versus $477 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 74% 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 $102 in Lubumbashi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $193 – 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: $1,094 in Lubumbashi, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 6% apart. Lubumbashi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,641 per month in Lubumbashi and $1,546 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 $1,094 in Lubumbashi and $1,031 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 $305 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 $1,031, than in Lubumbashi at $1,094. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,094 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.