Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lugazi and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Lugazi: $389 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lugazi, Uganda
Medellin, Colombia
Lugazi
🇺🇬 Uganda
$389
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lugazi and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lugazi and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $389 per month in Lugazi vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Lugazi $389
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $614 per month in Lugazi vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Lugazi $614
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $838 per month in Lugazi vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Lugazi $838
  • Medellin $3,249

Lugazi is about 77% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Lugazi sits 71% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.40 UGX 10.1K
$8.34 COP 26.9K
-71.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.97 UGX 96.9K
$46.53 COP 150.1K
-50.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.08 UGX 29.8K
$9.47 COP 30.5K
-25.24%
Cappuccino
$2.39 UGX 10.1K
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-23.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 UGX 1,409
$1.77 COP 5,696
-81.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 UGX 1,010
$1.42 COP 4,594
-83.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.14 UGX 4,795
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-63.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 UGX 7,479
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-68.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.80 UGX 3,365
$1.53 COP 4,943
-47.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 UGX 3,338
$2.29 COP 7,389
-65.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 UGX 5,214
$1.94 COP 6,273
-36.08%
Eggs
$1.35 UGX 5,703
$3.07 COP 9,889
-56.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.04 UGX 17.0K
$9.99 COP 32.2K
-59.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.16 UGX 17.6K
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-60.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.52 UGX 19.1K
$13.96 COP 45.0K
-67.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 UGX 8,374
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-50.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 UGX 5,651
$1.53 COP 4,929
-12.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 UGX 5,266
$2.10 COP 6,786
-40.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 UGX 5,201
$2.29 COP 7,397
-46.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 UGX 4,787
$2.11 COP 6,803
-46.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 UGX 5,276
$1.71 COP 5,512
-26.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.70 UGX 2,958
$1.17 COP 3,774
-40.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 UGX 2,093
$1.58 COP 5,096
-68.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 UGX 10.0K
$3.91 COP 12.6K
-39.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.05 UGX 29.7K
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-49.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 UGX 4,278
$1.76 COP 5,682
-42.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 UGX 7,725
$2.71 COP 8,746
-32.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.18 COP 3,805
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 UGX 1,921
$1.81 COP 5,827
-74.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 UGX 1,278
$2.13 COP 6,867
-85.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.86 UGX 12.1K
$8.13 COP 26.2K
-64.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 UGX 5,757
$1.28 COP 4,113
7.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$6,887 UGX 29.0M
$34.4K COP 111.1M
-80.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$7,149 UGX 30.2M
$34.1K COP 110.1M
-79.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.4 UGX 275.9K
$178 COP 573.2K
-63.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.16 UGX 47.1K
$13.89 COP 44.8K
-19.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.67 UGX 137.8K
$30.74 COP 99.1K
6.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.94 COP 135.3K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.85 UGX 28.9K
$7.47 COP 24.1K
-8.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$268 UGX 1.1M
$790 COP 2.5M
-66.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K UGX 68.3M
$12.3K COP 39.7M
31.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.05 UGX 55.0K
$86.3 COP 278.4K
-84.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.49 UGX 52.7K
$59.3 COP 191.1K
-78.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$30.97 UGX 130.6K
$138 COP 446.2K
-77.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.40 UGX 174.6K
$98.8 COP 318.7K
-58.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$667 COP 2.2M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lugazi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.75
10.94
89.67%

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

Last update for Lugazi: October 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Lugazi
$139
Medellin
$307 121% $168
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lugazi
$109
Medellin
$222 104% $113
Eating Out
Lugazi
$81
Medellin
$173 114% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Lugazi
$44
Medellin
$172 291% $128
Sport & Entertainment
Lugazi
$14 *
Medellin
$57 315% $43
Getting Around
Lugazi
$2 *
Medellin
$93 4644% $91
Accommodation & Living
Lugazi
- *
Medellin
$667

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Lugazi versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $307 – making Lugazi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇬 Lugazi
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:11 1:11 PM
05:11 5:11 AM
8 h behind Lugazi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
128,400
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4,217 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD). 1 EUR = 4,739 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lugazi Medellin 12,050 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lugazi
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Lugazi or Medellin?
Medellin costs about 335% more than Lugazi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lugazi and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $583 per month in Lugazi and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Lugazi and in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Lugazi and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lugazi or in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 121% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Lugazi or in Medellin?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Lugazi, where all-in costs run around $389, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Lugazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lugazi or Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $389 in Lugazi to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Lugazi vs other spots: cost of living compared

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