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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $430 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $943 in Lira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 133% more than Lira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Lira are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Lira 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.73 UGX 10.2K

116.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.88 UGX 100.6K

22.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.54 UGX 32.0K

-13.00%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

-39.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.27 UGX 1,008

307.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.27 UGX 1,006

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$0.84 UGX 3,158

104.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

17.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.72 UGX 2,678

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.19 UGX 4,473

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.33 UGX 4,985

3.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.81 UGX 6,795

20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

6.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.07 UGX 19.0K

14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

106.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

-14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.49 UGX 5,566

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.75 UGX 6,547

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.58 UGX 5,922

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.57 UGX 5,865

-28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.93 UGX 7,218

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.05 UGX 3,949

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.54 UGX 2,032

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.90 UGX 10.9K

-23.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.12 UGX 30.4K

49.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.24 UGX 4,644

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.06 UGX 7,708

20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.57 UGX 2,135

149.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.26 UGX 964

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

91.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.50 UGX 5,599

-34.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$9,050 UGX 33.9M

94.50%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$8,631 UGX 32.3M

210.50%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$42.95 UGX 160.8K

93.27%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.30 UGX 53.5K

-32.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$43.05 UGX 161.2K

-45.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.41 UGX 24.0K

-38.38%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$161 UGX 601.9K

96.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,383 UGX 16.4M

36.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$17.24 UGX 64.6K

248.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$14.40 UGX 53.9K

120.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$39.05 UGX 146.2K

160.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$47.91 UGX 179.4K

124.27%

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 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

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 Lira: July 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: $193 vs $166 – 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 133%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $644 in Lira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $430 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $161 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 $430, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.