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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $429 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $695 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $961 in Lira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 137% more than Lira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Lira are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Lira 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

108.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.25 UGX 98.4K

26.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.54 UGX 32.0K

-15.34%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.77 UGX 10.4K

-41.16%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.27 UGX 997

303.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 UGX 1,098

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.86 UGX 3,213

102.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.72 UGX 2,696

45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.26 UGX 4,707

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.34 UGX 5,006

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.83 UGX 6,849

24.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.34 UGX 16.3K

0.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.98 UGX 18.7K

18.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.38 UGX 16.4K

96.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

-19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.46 UGX 5,462

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.74 UGX 6,520

-12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.53 UGX 5,741

-7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.65 UGX 6,200

-29.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.84 UGX 6,907

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.01 UGX 3,789

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.59 UGX 2,195

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

-21.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.88 UGX 33.3K

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.18 UGX 4,409

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.06 UGX 7,707

15.53%

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

$0.59 UGX 2,195

138.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.28 UGX 1,052

578.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.14 UGX 15.5K

87.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.50 UGX 5,637

-32.67%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$9,137 UGX 34.2M

92.39%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$8,852 UGX 33.2M

199.32%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$42.77 UGX 160.3K

95.65%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.59 UGX 54.7K

-35.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$44.32 UGX 166.1K

-45.60%

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

$6.10 UGX 22.9K

-32.79%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$163 UGX 612.6K

90.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,334 UGX 16.2M

38.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$16.97 UGX 63.6K

242.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.06 UGX 52.7K

131.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$38.25 UGX 143.4K

160.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$47.56 UGX 178.3K

128.22%

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 Lira: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Lira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $168 – 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 137%, 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 $1,525 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $429 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $163 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 $429, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.