Cost of Living Comparison Between Lugazi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lugazi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Lugazi vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $692 per month in Lugazi vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $953 per month in Lugazi vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Lugazi is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lugazi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lugazi 68% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-54.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.76 UGX 100.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.38 UGX 31.4K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

12.79%

Cappuccino

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

$1.65 COP 5,207

73.33%

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

$0.50 UGX 1,880

$1.10 COP 3,468

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,166

$0.78 COP 2,458

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,056

$1.72 COP 5,412

-21.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-13.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 UGX 2,839

$1.10 COP 3,474

-30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UGX 4,659

$1.26 COP 3,962

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,005

$1.38 COP 4,349

-2.90%

Eggs

$1.77 UGX 6,618

$2.18 COP 6,858

-18.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 UGX 16.5K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 UGX 18.6K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-51.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

$2.32 COP 7,308

18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,455

$1.06 COP 3,352

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 UGX 6,315

$1.52 COP 4,774

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,914

$1.36 COP 4,270

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,206

$1.13 COP 3,552

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 UGX 7,219

$1.17 COP 3,689

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 4,010

$0.90 COP 2,838

18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 UGX 2,149

$0.90 COP 2,823

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

$2.23 COP 7,034

28.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 UGX 29.6K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 UGX 4,482

$1.19 COP 3,743

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 UGX 7,642

$2.48 COP 7,815

-17.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 UGX 2,200

$1.42 COP 4,459

-58.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,054

$1.95 COP 6,141

-85.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 UGX 15.9K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-46.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,466

$0.99 COP 3,118

47.47%

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

$9,099 UGX 34.1M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-48.31%

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

$8,613 UGX 32.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-67.86%

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

$42.80 UGX 160.3K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-48.44%

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

$14.42 UGX 54.0K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

48.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.61 UGX 167.0K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

89.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 UGX 23.3K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

57.47%

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

$162 UGX 606.7K

$316 COP 994.2K

-48.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,307 UGX 16.1M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-27.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.14 UGX 64.2K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-71.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.45 UGX 54.1K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-54.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.67 UGX 144.8K

$102 COP 320.1K

-61.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.17 UGX 172.9K

$107 COP 338.3K

-57.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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 Lugazi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Lugazi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $193 – making Lugazi 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

Lugazi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 133% more than Lugazi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $646 per month in Lugazi and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Lugazi and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lugazi, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Lugazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lugazi costs $430 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Lugazi. 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.