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 $402 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $648 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $895 per month in Fort Portal vs $2,143 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-52.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 UGX 100.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 UGX 32.5K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

16.69%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.7K

$1.65 COP 5,207

73.94%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,775

$1.10 COP 3,468

-57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,169

$0.78 COP 2,458

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 UGX 5,264

$1.72 COP 5,412

-18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 UGX 10.2K

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.32 UGX 1,189

$1.10 COP 3,474

-70.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 UGX 3,066

$1.26 COP 3,962

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 UGX 4,051

$1.38 COP 4,349

-21.74%

Eggs

$1.42 UGX 5,310

$2.18 COP 6,858

-34.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 UGX 16.5K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-2.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 UGX 18.9K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-12.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 UGX 13.9K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-58.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 UGX 10.4K

$2.32 COP 7,308

19.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 UGX 3,016

$1.06 COP 3,352

-23.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 UGX 6,265

$1.52 COP 4,774

9.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 UGX 5,122

$1.36 COP 4,270

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 UGX 5,892

$1.13 COP 3,552

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 UGX 2,562

$1.17 COP 3,689

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,807

$0.90 COP 2,838

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,994

$0.90 COP 2,823

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 UGX 11.2K

$2.23 COP 7,034

33.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.27 UGX 19.7K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 UGX 3,068

$1.19 COP 3,743

-31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 UGX 4,211

$2.48 COP 7,815

-54.84%

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)

$0.58 UGX 2,154

$1.42 COP 4,459

-59.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 960

$1.95 COP 6,141

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 UGX 15.3K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-48.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,342

$0.99 COP 3,118

44.44%

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

$9,146 UGX 34.2M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-48.04%

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

$8,828 UGX 33.1M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-67.06%

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

$41.55 UGX 155.6K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-49.95%

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

$14.11 UGX 52.8K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

45.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 UGX 163.3K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

85.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 UGX 23.2K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

57.22%

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

$158 UGX 592.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

-49.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,376 UGX 16.4M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-26.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.04 UGX 63.8K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-71.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.02 UGX 52.5K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-55.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.75 UGX 145.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-61.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.17 UGX 172.9K

$107 COP 338.3K

-57.03%

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 %)

20.8

13.43

54.88%

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

Last update for Fort Portal: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 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 $193 – 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 149% 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 $603 per month in Fort Portal and $1,504 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 41% 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 $402, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $402 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 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.