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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $425 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $685 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $945 in Iganga.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Iganga 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

109.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$26.13 UGX 98.0K

26.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$8.76 UGX 32.9K

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.84 UGX 10.6K

-41.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.50 UGX 1,887

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.29 UGX 1,080

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.41 UGX 5,299

21.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.71 UGX 2,646

54.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.22 UGX 4,568

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.34 UGX 5,030

2.99%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.76 UGX 6,607

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.05 UGX 19.0K

14.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

109.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

-14.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.48 UGX 5,561

-28.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.74 UGX 6,545

-12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.55 UGX 5,800

-12.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.57 UGX 5,884

-28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.88 UGX 7,045

-37.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.01 UGX 3,801

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.53 UGX 1,997

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

-22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.08 UGX 30.3K

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.17 UGX 4,409

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.03 UGX 7,609

22.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.57 UGX 2,149

149.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.28 UGX 1,055

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.28 UGX 16.0K

84.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.44 UGX 5,394

-31.25%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$9,183 UGX 34.5M

91.68%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$8,605 UGX 32.3M

211.43%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$41.58 UGX 156.0K

99.64%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$14.49 UGX 54.4K

-33.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$43.87 UGX 164.6K

-46.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.29 UGX 23.6K

-37.20%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$163 UGX 610.0K

94.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,295 UGX 16.1M

39.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$17.20 UGX 64.5K

248.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$14.42 UGX 54.1K

120.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$39.21 UGX 147.1K

159.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$47.31 UGX 177.5K

127.12%

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 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Iganga: July 27, 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 $193 vs $165 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $638 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 $316 in Medellin versus $163 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 $425 in Iganga versus $1,003 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.