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: $747 in Kampala versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Kampala versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Kampala versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-52.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

18.34%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

$1.71 COP 6,105

67.84%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,914

$1.10 COP 3,918

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,178

$0.78 COP 2,776

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,142

$1.68 COP 5,987

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-11.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 UGX 2,797

$1.09 COP 3,899

-32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,690

$1.26 COP 4,500

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,045

$1.38 COP 4,914

-2.90%

Eggs

$1.82 UGX 6,849

$2.19 COP 7,813

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-12.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-53.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$2.34 COP 8,334

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,496

$1.06 COP 3,771

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,219

$1.50 COP 5,365

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,746

$1.38 COP 4,915

10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 UGX 6,121

$1.15 COP 4,104

41.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,172

$1.16 COP 4,148

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,841

$0.89 COP 3,176

14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,013

$0.84 COP 2,992

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

$2.28 COP 8,131

26.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,665

$1.20 COP 4,276

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UGX 8,053

$2.47 COP 8,809

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 UGX 3,248

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,162

$1.47 COP 5,255

-60.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 972

$1.96 COP 6,997

-86.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-46.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,478

$0.95 COP 3,403

53.68%

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

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-50.44%

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

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-67.34%

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

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-49.26%

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

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

48.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

80.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

87.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-60.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

59.03%

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

$161 UGX 603.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-48.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-26.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-70.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-56.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

$103 COP 365.7K

-61.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

$108 COP 386.5K

-56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 UGX 1.5M

$476 COP 1.7M

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 UGX 822.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-42.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 UGX 3.7M

$838 COP 3.0M

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 UGX 1.3M

$724 COP 2.6M

-52.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-55.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 UGX 3.7M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-19.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 UGX 717.4K

$512 COP 1.8M

-62.72%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Kampala and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 168% 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: $26.00 in Kampala vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $188 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 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 168% less. 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: $395 in Kampala versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $1,013 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 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.