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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $431 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $705 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $980 in Iganga.

Living in Medellin is roughly 140% more expensive than Iganga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Iganga 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

118.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$26.14 UGX 96.9K

25.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.47 UGX 31.4K

-14.99%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

-40.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.47 UGX 1,758

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.29 UGX 1,057

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.40 UGX 5,202

19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.70 UGX 2,589

51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.20 UGX 4,434

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.40 UGX 5,175

-0.71%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.77 UGX 6,570

27.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.28 UGX 15.9K

1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.02 UGX 18.6K

16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.34 UGX 16.1K

103.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.70 UGX 10.0K

-17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.47 UGX 5,466

-26.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.74 UGX 6,458

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.59 UGX 5,884

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.64 UGX 6,085

-31.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.90 UGX 7,055

-41.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.07 UGX 3,962

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.57 UGX 2,123

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

-17.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.56 UGX 35.5K

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.24 UGX 4,610

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.15 UGX 7,980

10.23%

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)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.58 UGX 2,137

148.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.26 UGX 964

634.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.27 UGX 15.8K

87.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.49 UGX 5,520

-36.91%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$8,958 UGX 33.2M

100.06%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$8,660 UGX 32.1M

209.36%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$41.44 UGX 153.7K

102.61%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.22 UGX 52.7K

-32.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$44.58 UGX 165.3K

-45.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.20 UGX 23.0K

-36.77%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$164 UGX 608.7K

86.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,352 UGX 16.1M

36.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$16.97 UGX 62.9K

241.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$14.53 UGX 53.9K

119.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$38.09 UGX 141.2K

162.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$46.66 UGX 173.0K

129.62%

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 %)

13.43

20.8

-35.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iganga: April 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 $190 vs $169 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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $647 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 $306 in Medellin versus $164 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 $431 in Iganga versus $1,034 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 140% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.