Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lira Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $425 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $679 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $934 in Lira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 295% more than Lira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Lira is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

210.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$26.40 UGX 104.0K

81.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.71 UGX 30.3K

28.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.61 UGX 10.3K

19.92%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.25 UGX 983

664.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.25 UGX 982

504.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$0.77 UGX 3,034

305.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.81 UGX 7,117

217.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.85 UGX 3,359

69.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.03 UGX 4,043

141.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.39 UGX 5,478

27.34%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.53 UGX 6,034

93.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$4.67 UGX 18.4K

115.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

100.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.13 UGX 20.2K

178.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.18 UGX 8,585

89.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.22 UGX 4,811

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.39 UGX 5,457

61.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.25 UGX 4,917

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.26 UGX 4,974

61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.40 UGX 5,508

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.86 UGX 3,379

36.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.52 UGX 2,067

151.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

47.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

75.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.04 UGX 4,106

67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.08 UGX 8,178

37.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.50 UGX 1,984

162.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.32 UGX 1,243

584.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$3.36 UGX 13.2K

159.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.40 UGX 5,527

-2.14%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$7,911 UGX 31.2M

251.87%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$7,925 UGX 31.2M

351.38%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

133.63%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$12.34 UGX 48.6K

12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$38.06 UGX 149.9K

-21.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$7.77 UGX 30.6K

-14.41%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$262 UGX 1.0M

210.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$8,518 UGX 33.5M

7.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$14.93 UGX 58.8K

499.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$13.82 UGX 54.4K

326.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$34.96 UGX 137.7K

295.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$46.61 UGX 183.6K

119.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

20.75

-47.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lira: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Lira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $157 – making Lira 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

Medellin vs Lira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 295%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $638 in Lira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $425 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $262 in Lira. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lira, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Lira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lira – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lira. 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.