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 $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $645 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $884 per month in Fort Portal vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort Portal is about 60% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.3K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-53.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 UGX 100.5K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 UGX 32.7K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

20.75%

Cappuccino

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

$1.63 COP 5,687

74.85%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,893

$1.09 COP 3,821

-53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,165

$0.73 COP 2,548

-57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,064

$1.74 COP 6,065

-22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.34 UGX 1,289

$1.05 COP 3,662

-67.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 UGX 3,240

$1.29 COP 4,515

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 UGX 4,258

$1.32 COP 4,617

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.42 UGX 5,309

$2.27 COP 7,927

-37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 UGX 16.6K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 UGX 18.8K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 UGX 13.2K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-59.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 UGX 10.1K

$2.25 COP 7,844

19.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 UGX 3,051

$1.07 COP 3,733

-24.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,216

$1.52 COP 5,322

9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,095

$1.42 COP 4,964

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 UGX 5,902

$1.17 COP 4,084

34.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 UGX 2,692

$1.17 COP 4,077

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 UGX 3,854

$0.89 COP 3,096

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 UGX 2,046

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 UGX 11.1K

$2.25 COP 7,837

32.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 UGX 19.5K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-52.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 UGX 3,150

$1.14 COP 3,977

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 UGX 4,092

$2.38 COP 8,301

-54.20%

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)

$0.54 UGX 2,033

$1.41 COP 4,912

-61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,059

$1.90 COP 6,634

-85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.9K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-45.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 UGX 5,145

$1.01 COP 3,509

35.64%

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

$9,009 UGX 33.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-48.75%

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

$8,914 UGX 33.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-66.35%

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

$42.82 UGX 160.5K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-48.83%

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

$14.37 UGX 53.8K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

52.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.08 UGX 165.2K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

82.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 UGX 23.3K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

51.95%

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

$158 UGX 592.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-49.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 UGX 16.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-28.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.76 UGX 62.8K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-71.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.42 UGX 54.1K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-55.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.49 UGX 144.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-61.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.26 UGX 177.1K

$109 COP 378.8K

-56.46%

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 %)

20.8

13.43

54.88%

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

Last update for Fort Portal: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 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 150% 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 $1,525 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 $27.00 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 $1,017. 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 $1,017 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 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.