Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $406 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $635 per month in Fort Portal vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $864 per month in Fort Portal vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort Portal is about 76% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fort Portal sits 70% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.67 UGX 10.5K

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-66.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.03 UGX 102.5K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-45.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 UGX 30.7K

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-21.03%

Cappuccino

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

$3.13 COP 9,937

-15.65%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,538

$1.91 COP 6,058

-79.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,098

$1.51 COP 4,794

-81.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 UGX 5,251

$3.12 COP 9,917

-57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 UGX 7,346

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-67.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.31 UGX 1,208

$1.44 COP 4,587

-78.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 UGX 2,990

$2.49 COP 7,894

-69.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 UGX 4,253

$1.77 COP 5,631

-38.98%

Eggs

$1.28 UGX 5,043

$2.96 COP 9,396

-56.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 UGX 18.4K

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-53.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-50.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.39 UGX 13.4K

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-76.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 UGX 8,520

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-47.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 UGX 2,998

$1.61 COP 5,106

-52.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,485

$2.25 COP 7,129

-38.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 UGX 5,043

$2.25 COP 7,150

-43.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,190

$2.04 COP 6,486

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 UGX 2,686

$1.54 COP 4,873

-55.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 UGX 3,308

$1.17 COP 3,715

-28.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 UGX 2,027

$1.31 COP 4,148

-61.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 UGX 10.4K

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-32.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 UGX 21.5K

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-61.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 UGX 3,052

$1.74 COP 5,534

-55.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 UGX 4,097

$2.87 COP 9,112

-63.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 UGX 2,187

$1.31 COP 4,155

-57.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 UGX 1,341

$2.19 COP 6,944

-84.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 UGX 12.7K

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-62.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 UGX 5,325

$1.37 COP 4,334

-1.46%

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

$7,827 UGX 30.8M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-71.88%

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

$8,091 UGX 31.9M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-77.38%

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

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

$177 COP 562.9K

-57.20%

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

$12.40 UGX 48.8K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-10.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.36 UGX 147.1K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 UGX 31.9K

$6.65 COP 21.1K

21.80%

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

$263 UGX 1.0M

$813 COP 2.6M

-67.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,692 UGX 34.2M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-5.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.15 UGX 59.6K

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-83.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.11 UGX 55.6K

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-76.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.19 UGX 134.6K

$138 COP 438.8K

-75.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.35 UGX 182.5K

$102 COP 324.2K

-54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

10.94

89.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Fort Portal: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Fort Portal versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $305 – making Fort Portal 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

Fort Portal vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 314% more than Fort Portal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $609 per month in Fort Portal and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Fort Portal and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 137% 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 Fort Portal, where all-in costs run around $406, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Fort Portal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fort Portal costs $406 versus $1,681 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 Fort Portal. 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.