Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Kampala versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Kampala versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,475 in Kampala versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 56% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kampala is 48% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-67.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 UGX 102.9K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-44.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 UGX 29.5K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-18.90%

Cappuccino

$2.61 UGX 10.1K

$2.94 COP 9,040

-11.22%

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

$0.42 UGX 1,638

$1.86 COP 5,735

-77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,072

$1.46 COP 4,479

-80.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,217

$3.21 COP 9,882

-57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 UGX 7,042

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-68.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 UGX 3,023

$1.44 COP 4,428

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 UGX 3,864

$2.40 COP 7,389

-58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,181

$1.70 COP 5,228

-21.18%

Eggs

$1.51 UGX 5,848

$2.89 COP 8,896

-47.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.69 UGX 18.1K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-53.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 UGX 19.6K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-48.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.30 UGX 20.5K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-62.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 UGX 8,341

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-45.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 UGX 4,507

$1.58 COP 4,878

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,214

$2.15 COP 6,624

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 4,806

$2.30 COP 7,078

-46.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,082

$2.00 COP 6,169

-34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,247

$1.51 COP 4,646

-9.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,014

$1.20 COP 3,701

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 UGX 2,161

$1.28 COP 3,946

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 UGX 9,976

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-32.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 UGX 31.3K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-42.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 UGX 4,172

$1.71 COP 5,256

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 UGX 7,652

$2.74 COP 8,440

-27.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 UGX 3,165

$1.25 COP 3,834

-34.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.24 UGX 178.6K

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-40.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,132

$1.31 COP 4,016

-58.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,226

$2.17 COP 6,680

-85.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 UGX 5,452

$1.36 COP 4,172

3.68%

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

$7,845 UGX 30.3M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-71.45%

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

$7,825 UGX 30.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-78.58%

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

$74.2 UGX 286.6K

$169 COP 519.2K

-56.03%

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

$12.74 UGX 49.2K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 UGX 145.2K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

32.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 UGX 225.6K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

27.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 UGX 24.9K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-62.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 UGX 30.3K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

17.89%

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

$257 UGX 992.8K

$803 COP 2.5M

-68.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,416 UGX 32.5M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-8.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.99 UGX 57.9K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-82.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.77 UGX 53.2K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-76.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.79 UGX 130.6K

$139 COP 427.5K

-75.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 UGX 179.3K

$102 COP 314.0K

-54.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 UGX 2.0M

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-51.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 UGX 697.8K

$653 COP 2.0M

-72.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 UGX 4.4M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 UGX 1.3M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-67.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 UGX 4.8M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-69.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 UGX 3.8M

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-42.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 UGX 735.2K

$655 COP 2.0M

-70.95%

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 Kampala: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Kampala and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 244% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Kampala vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $300 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

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

Kampala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 128% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 244% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $523 in Kampala versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $720 in Kampala versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.