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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $431 in Lugazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $704 in Lugazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $977 in Lugazi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 136% more than Lugazi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.79 UGX 10.5K

113.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.76 UGX 100.3K

24.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.51 UGX 31.9K

-15.04%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

-41.99%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.51 UGX 1,926

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.31 UGX 1,175

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.37 UGX 5,123

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

14.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.72 UGX 2,682

45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.25 UGX 4,691

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.37 UGX 5,143

-3.65%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.83 UGX 6,857

24.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.43 UGX 16.6K

-1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.03 UGX 18.8K

16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

105.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.69 UGX 10.1K

-16.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.54 UGX 5,774

-30.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.73 UGX 6,493

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.59 UGX 5,962

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.59 UGX 5,956

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.87 UGX 7,020

-37.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.02 UGX 3,821

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 UGX 2,182

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.98 UGX 11.2K

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.41 UGX 31.5K

31.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.24 UGX 4,659

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.12 UGX 7,947

12.26%

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

$0.58 UGX 2,156

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 UGX 969

630.77%

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

$1.43 UGX 5,368

-29.37%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$8,912 UGX 33.4M

97.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$8,691 UGX 32.6M

204.84%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$41.41 UGX 155.2K

102.08%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.52 UGX 54.4K

-34.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$44.29 UGX 166.0K

-45.56%

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

$6.31 UGX 23.6K

-35.02%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$162 UGX 608.7K

92.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,283 UGX 16.1M

39.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$17.09 UGX 64.0K

239.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.20 UGX 53.2K

129.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$39.29 UGX 147.3K

153.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$46.56 UGX 174.5K

133.12%

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 Lugazi: June 6, 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: $190 vs $168 – 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 136% 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 $1,525 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 13% 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 $431, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $431 versus $1,017 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.