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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $428 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $687 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $945 in Lira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 141% more than Lira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Lira are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Lira 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

106.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$26.67 UGX 98.9K

22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

-16.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.72 UGX 10.1K

-37.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.27 UGX 997

307.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.27 UGX 992

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.86 UGX 3,174

94.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.70 UGX 2,586

51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.24 UGX 4,613

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.39 UGX 5,162

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.75 UGX 6,505

29.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.41 UGX 16.4K

-1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.07 UGX 18.8K

15.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

112.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

-20.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.54 UGX 5,714

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.74 UGX 6,469

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.55 UGX 5,731

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.57 UGX 5,820

-28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.87 UGX 6,922

-40.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.03 UGX 3,815

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.58 UGX 2,137

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.94 UGX 10.9K

-20.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.62 UGX 35.7K

15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.20 UGX 4,446

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.12 UGX 7,873

11.79%

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

$0.55 UGX 2,023

161.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.28 UGX 1,040

582.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.08 UGX 15.1K

96.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.51 UGX 5,606

-37.75%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$9,008 UGX 33.4M

98.94%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$8,897 UGX 33.0M

201.12%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$42.65 UGX 158.1K

96.86%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.12 UGX 52.3K

-32.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$43.11 UGX 159.8K

-43.96%

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

$6.34 UGX 23.5K

-38.17%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$158 UGX 586.3K

93.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

37.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$16.72 UGX 62.0K

246.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$14.35 UGX 53.2K

121.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$38.74 UGX 143.7K

157.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.14 UGX 174.8K

127.28%

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 Lira: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Lira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $170 – 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 141%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $643 in Lira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $428 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $158 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 $428, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.