Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lugazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lugazi

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $692 in Lugazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $953 in Lugazi, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

118.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.76 UGX 100.2K

23.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.38 UGX 31.4K

-11.34%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

-42.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.50 UGX 1,880

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 UGX 1,166

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.35 UGX 5,056

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

15.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.76 UGX 2,839

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.24 UGX 4,659

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.34 UGX 5,005

2.99%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.77 UGX 6,618

23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.39 UGX 16.5K

2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.97 UGX 18.6K

16.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

106.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

-15.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.46 UGX 5,455

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.69 UGX 6,315

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.58 UGX 5,914

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.66 UGX 6,206

-31.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.93 UGX 7,219

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.07 UGX 4,010

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.57 UGX 2,149

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

-22.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.91 UGX 29.6K

53.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.20 UGX 4,482

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.04 UGX 7,642

21.57%

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

$0.59 UGX 2,200

140.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.28 UGX 1,054

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.23 UGX 15.9K

86.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.46 UGX 5,466

-32.19%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$9,099 UGX 34.1M

93.46%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$8,613 UGX 32.2M

211.15%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$42.80 UGX 160.3K

93.95%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.42 UGX 54.0K

-32.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$44.61 UGX 167.0K

-47.28%

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

$6.22 UGX 23.3K

-36.50%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$162 UGX 606.7K

94.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,307 UGX 16.1M

38.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$17.14 UGX 64.2K

250.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$14.45 UGX 54.1K

120.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$38.67 UGX 144.8K

162.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$46.17 UGX 172.9K

132.73%

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 Lugazi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Lugazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $167 – making Lugazi 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 Lugazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 133% more than Lugazi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $646 in Lugazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Lugazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lugazi, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Lugazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lugazi costs $430 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Lugazi. 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.