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: $753 in Kampala versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Kampala versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Kampala versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-55.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-17.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.48%

Cappuccino

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$1.72 COP 5,599

59.30%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,742

$1.05 COP 3,420

-55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,153

$0.77 COP 2,515

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,041

$1.69 COP 5,487

-19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,617

$1.05 COP 3,423

-32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,629

$1.30 COP 4,236

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,944

$1.40 COP 4,544

-4.29%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,501

$2.16 COP 7,046

-18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-17.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-51.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$2.28 COP 7,425

19.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 UGX 5,598

$1.11 COP 3,603

36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,126

$1.53 COP 4,982

8.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,827

$1.35 COP 4,410

17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,073

$1.13 COP 3,674

45.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UGX 7,194

$1.13 COP 3,692

71.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,955

$0.85 COP 2,753

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,973

$0.91 COP 2,975

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

$2.34 COP 7,629

26.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-30.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,351

$1.20 COP 3,909

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 UGX 7,816

$2.49 COP 8,104

-15.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 2,937

$0.84 COP 2,727

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

1.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,029

$1.42 COP 4,623

-61.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,037

$1.92 COP 6,235

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-44.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,285

$0.99 COP 3,223

44.44%

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

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-50.59%

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

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-67.64%

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

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-47.48%

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

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

46.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

78.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

94.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-61.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

54.52%

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

$164 UGX 605.5K

$305 COP 993.4K

-46.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-70.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-55.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

$101 COP 327.9K

-62.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

$108 COP 350.8K

-57.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 UGX 1.5M

$477 COP 1.6M

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 UGX 831.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

-40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 UGX 3.6M

$845 COP 2.7M

16.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 UGX 1.2M

$730 COP 2.4M

-53.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-61.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-27.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 UGX 710.4K

$617 COP 2.0M

-68.86%

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 Kampala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Kampala and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 221% 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 $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $193 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 221% 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: $402 in Kampala versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,031 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 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.