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 $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $651 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $896 per month in Fort Portal vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort Portal is about 61% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Fort Portal and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Fort Portal 70% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 UGX 10.3K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-52.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 UGX 96.9K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 UGX 32.4K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

21.53%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.6K

$1.70 COP 6,186

68.82%

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

$0.48 UGX 1,774

$1.10 COP 3,996

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,157

$0.72 COP 2,625

-56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 UGX 5,093

$1.67 COP 6,067

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.32 UGX 1,171

$1.06 COP 3,837

-69.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 UGX 2,946

$1.25 COP 4,531

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 UGX 4,015

$1.39 COP 5,060

-21.58%

Eggs

$1.37 UGX 5,051

$2.26 COP 8,229

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 UGX 15.5K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

-3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 UGX 18.4K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-14.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.60 UGX 13.3K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-59.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$2.24 COP 8,159

25.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 UGX 3,126

$1.08 COP 3,911

-21.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 UGX 6,158

$1.53 COP 5,563

9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,024

$1.37 COP 4,987

-0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 UGX 5,787

$1.13 COP 4,109

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 UGX 2,505

$1.12 COP 4,067

-39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 UGX 3,904

$0.85 COP 3,080

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,142

$0.91 COP 3,305

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 UGX 10.9K

$2.33 COP 8,477

26.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 UGX 20.3K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-50.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 UGX 3,195

$1.19 COP 4,342

-27.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 UGX 4,209

$2.37 COP 8,617

-51.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,018

$1.44 COP 5,223

-61.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 957

$1.91 COP 6,952

-86.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 UGX 15.0K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-49.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,163

$0.94 COP 3,410

48.94%

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

$9,042 UGX 33.4M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-49.55%

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

$8,608 UGX 31.8M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-67.87%

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

$42.64 UGX 157.7K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-49.21%

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

$14.49 UGX 53.6K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

50.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.07 UGX 159.3K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

78.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 UGX 23.3K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

60.97%

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

$163 UGX 603.1K

$306 COP 1.1M

-46.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,253 UGX 15.7M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-28.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.83 UGX 62.2K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-70.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.30 UGX 52.9K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-55.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.84 UGX 139.9K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-62.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.76 UGX 176.6K

$107 COP 389.7K

-55.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

13.43

54.88%

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

Last update for Fort Portal: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Fort Portal versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $190 – 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 155% more than Fort Portal, 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 $609 per month in Fort Portal and $1,550 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 $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $1,034. 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 $1,034 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.