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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $431 per month in Lugazi vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Lugazi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $977 per month in Lugazi vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Lugazi is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lugazi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lugazi 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 UGX 10.5K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-53.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.76 UGX 100.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 UGX 31.9K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

17.70%

Cappuccino

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

$1.63 COP 5,687

72.39%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,926

$1.09 COP 3,821

-53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,175

$0.73 COP 2,548

-57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,123

$1.74 COP 6,065

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-13.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 UGX 2,682

$1.05 COP 3,662

-31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,691

$1.29 COP 4,515

-3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 UGX 5,143

$1.32 COP 4,617

3.79%

Eggs

$1.83 UGX 6,857

$2.27 COP 7,927

-19.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.43 UGX 16.6K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

1.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 UGX 18.8K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-51.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 UGX 10.1K

$2.25 COP 7,844

19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 UGX 5,774

$1.07 COP 3,733

43.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UGX 6,493

$1.52 COP 5,322

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 UGX 5,962

$1.42 COP 4,964

11.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 UGX 5,956

$1.17 COP 4,084

35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 UGX 7,020

$1.17 COP 4,077

59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,821

$0.89 COP 3,096

14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,182

$0.90 COP 3,146

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 UGX 11.2K

$2.25 COP 7,837

32.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 UGX 31.5K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-23.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,659

$1.14 COP 3,977

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 UGX 7,947

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,156

$1.41 COP 4,912

-58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 969

$1.90 COP 6,634

-86.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 UGX 15.5K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-46.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,368

$1.01 COP 3,509

41.58%

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

$8,912 UGX 33.4M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-49.30%

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

$8,691 UGX 32.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-67.20%

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

$41.41 UGX 155.2K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.51%

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

$14.52 UGX 54.4K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 UGX 166.0K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

83.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 UGX 23.6K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

53.90%

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

$162 UGX 608.7K

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,283 UGX 16.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-28.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.09 UGX 64.0K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-70.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.20 UGX 53.2K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-56.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.29 UGX 147.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-60.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.56 UGX 174.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 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: $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 136% 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 $1,525 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 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 $431, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $431 versus $1,017 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.