Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iganga Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iganga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $430 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $702 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $974 in Iganga.

Living in Medellin is roughly 136% more expensive than Iganga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Iganga 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

115.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.21 UGX 98.2K

27.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.60 UGX 32.2K

-15.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

-40.07%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.47 UGX 1,764

131.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 UGX 1,086

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.37 UGX 5,142

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.74 UGX 10.3K

17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.71 UGX 2,644

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.25 UGX 4,697

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.33 UGX 4,988

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.77 UGX 6,648

28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.38 UGX 16.4K

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.97 UGX 18.6K

18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.18 UGX 15.7K

105.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.77 UGX 10.4K

-18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.54 UGX 5,769

-30.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.71 UGX 6,413

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.52 UGX 5,681

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.63 UGX 6,103

-28.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.87 UGX 7,002

-37.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 UGX 3,967

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.59 UGX 2,196

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

-21.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.48 UGX 31.8K

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.20 UGX 4,495

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.15 UGX 8,046

10.70%

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)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.57 UGX 2,148

147.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 UGX 962

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.12 UGX 15.4K

88.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.49 UGX 5,602

-32.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$9,177 UGX 34.4M

91.57%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$8,622 UGX 32.3M

207.30%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$42.75 UGX 160.2K

95.74%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.65 UGX 54.9K

-35.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$43.77 UGX 164.0K

-44.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.28 UGX 23.5K

-34.71%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$162 UGX 607.2K

92.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,258 UGX 16.0M

40.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$16.93 UGX 63.4K

242.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.51 UGX 54.4K

124.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$38.28 UGX 143.5K

160.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$47.49 UGX 178.0K

128.55%

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 %)

13.43

20.8

-35.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Iganga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Iganga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $167 per month, with Iganga cheaper across the board.

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

Medellin vs Iganga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iganga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $645 in Iganga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $162 in Iganga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iganga – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $430 in Iganga versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iganga but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Iganga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iganga is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Iganga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iganga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.