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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,716 per month in Lubumbashi vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,209 per month in Lubumbashi vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Lubumbashi is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lubumbashi sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

26.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.3 CDF 224.9K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

105.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 CDF 22.3K

$9.77 COP 30.7K

0.61%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CDF 8,866

$2.91 COP 9,149

34.71%

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

$1.08 CDF 2,444

$1.94 COP 6,110

-44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CDF 4,570

$3.09 COP 9,721

-34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CDF 5,611

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-56.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CDF 4,457

$1.36 COP 4,287

44.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CDF 2,754

$2.39 COP 7,505

-48.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 CDF 6,928

$1.70 COP 5,346

80.00%

Eggs

$2.15 CDF 4,860

$2.87 COP 9,021

-25.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 CDF 34.4K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

52.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 CDF 17.0K

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-30.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CDF 34.5K

$14.73 COP 46.3K

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 CDF 11.3K

$4.09 COP 12.8K

22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,750

$1.57 COP 4,940

89.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 CDF 11.5K

$2.13 COP 6,682

138.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 CDF 6,726

$2.21 COP 6,959

34.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CDF 5,571

$2.05 COP 6,435

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 CDF 6,064

$1.50 COP 4,728

78.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 CDF 2,199

$1.19 COP 3,740

-18.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CDF 2,914

$1.16 COP 3,640

11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 CDF 9,250

$3.90 COP 12.2K

4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CDF 28.6K

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-12.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CDF 2,679

$1.58 COP 4,978

-25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 CDF 4,662

$2.83 COP 8,889

-27.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 CDF 2,223

$1.17 COP 3,672

-16.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 CDF 10.1K

$1.28 COP 4,038

249.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 CDF 22.5K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

15.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CDF 3,313

$1.30 COP 4,080

12.31%

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

$24.9K CDF 56.4M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-9.86%

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

$30.2K CDF 68.5M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-14.81%

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

$98.9 CDF 223.8K

$176 COP 553.4K

-43.84%

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

$19.87 CDF 45.0K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

48.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CDF 137.7K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

103.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CDF 167.0K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

64.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$135 CDF 306.6K

$793 COP 2.5M

-82.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,533 CDF 10.3M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-49.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.82 CDF 51.7K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-73.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.60 CDF 51.2K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-61.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CDF 136.9K

$136 COP 428.4K

-55.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 CDF 191.5K

$103 COP 324.1K

-17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 CDF 1.9M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CDF 844.4K

$680 COP 2.1M

-45.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,504 CDF 5.7M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

24.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 CDF 4.6M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

75.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,005 CDF 2.3M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-75.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 CDF 1.1M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-70.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 CDF 2.4M

$665 COP 2.1M

62.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Lubumbashi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Lubumbashi versus $1,060 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 63% higher in Lubumbashi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Lubumbashi versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $303 – 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: $1,223 in Lubumbashi, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 40% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,834 per month in Lubumbashi and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lubumbashi, 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 $1,223 in Lubumbashi and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Lubumbashi and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lubumbashi, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Lubumbashi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,223 in Lubumbashi to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lubumbashi. 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.