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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $440 per month in Lugazi vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $693 per month in Lugazi vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $946 per month in Lugazi vs $2,120 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 67% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.2K

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-53.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.25 UGX 97.3K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 UGX 31.9K

$7.20 COP 26.0K

19.58%

Cappuccino

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$1.70 COP 6,140

60.59%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,727

$1.10 COP 3,966

-57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,157

$0.72 COP 2,605

-56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 UGX 5,275

$1.67 COP 6,022

-14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 UGX 10.6K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-8.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 UGX 2,661

$1.06 COP 3,809

-32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UGX 4,437

$1.25 COP 4,497

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 4,902

$1.39 COP 5,022

-5.04%

Eggs

$1.79 UGX 6,636

$2.26 COP 8,168

-20.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.26 UGX 15.8K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

-1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 UGX 18.7K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-13.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.13 UGX 15.3K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-53.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 UGX 9,905

$2.24 COP 8,099

19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,634

$1.08 COP 3,882

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,123

$1.53 COP 5,522

7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,688

$1.37 COP 4,950

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 UGX 5,893

$1.13 COP 4,078

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 UGX 7,216

$1.12 COP 4,036

74.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 UGX 3,935

$0.85 COP 3,057

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,135

$0.91 COP 3,281

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 UGX 10.8K

$2.33 COP 8,414

24.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.63 UGX 35.7K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 UGX 4,414

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 UGX 7,846

$2.37 COP 8,553

-10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,163

$1.44 COP 5,184

-59.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,050

$1.91 COP 6,901

-85.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 UGX 15.3K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-48.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 UGX 5,389

$0.94 COP 3,385

54.26%

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

$8,937 UGX 33.1M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

-50.13%

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

$8,641 UGX 32.0M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-67.74%

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

$42.86 UGX 158.9K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-48.95%

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

$14.54 UGX 53.9K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

51.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 UGX 163.8K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

82.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 UGX 23.1K

$3.92 COP 14.1K

58.67%

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

$162 UGX 602.5K

$306 COP 1.1M

-46.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 UGX 15.9M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-27.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.15 UGX 63.6K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-70.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.99 UGX 51.9K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-56.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.09 UGX 145.0K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-60.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.06 UGX 174.5K

$107 COP 386.8K

-56.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Lugazi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $190 – 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 135% 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 $660 per month in Lugazi and $1,550 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 $26.00 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 13% 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 $440, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $440 versus $1,034 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.