Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbarara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbarara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Mbarara vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $867 per month in Mbarara vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Mbarara vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Mbarara is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mbarara and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mbarara 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-52.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.19 UGX 96.8K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-20.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 UGX 32.0K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

20.14%

Cappuccino

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$1.70 COP 6,186

65.88%

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

$0.48 UGX 1,768

$1.10 COP 3,996

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 UGX 1,072

$0.72 COP 2,625

-59.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 UGX 5,184

$1.67 COP 6,067

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-9.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 UGX 1,975

$1.06 COP 3,837

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UGX 4,449

$1.25 COP 4,531

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,950

$1.39 COP 5,060

-3.60%

Eggs

$1.77 UGX 6,543

$2.26 COP 8,229

-21.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.26 UGX 15.8K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

-1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 UGX 18.4K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.94 UGX 14.6K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-55.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 UGX 9,940

$2.24 COP 8,159

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 UGX 5,708

$1.08 COP 3,911

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UGX 6,380

$1.53 COP 5,563

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 UGX 5,711

$1.37 COP 4,987

12.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,066

$1.13 COP 4,109

45.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,072

$1.12 COP 4,067

70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,957

$0.85 COP 3,080

25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 UGX 2,019

$0.91 COP 3,305

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 UGX 10.8K

$2.33 COP 8,477

25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 UGX 34.1K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-17.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 UGX 4,432

$1.19 COP 4,342

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 UGX 7,630

$2.37 COP 8,617

-13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 UGX 3,120

$0.79 COP 2,859

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 UGX 1,987

$1.44 COP 5,223

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 957

$1.91 COP 6,952

-86.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.3K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-48.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 UGX 5,347

$0.94 COP 3,410

54.26%

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

$9,122 UGX 33.7M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-49.10%

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

$8,717 UGX 32.2M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-67.46%

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

$42.29 UGX 156.4K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-49.63%

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

$14.37 UGX 53.1K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

49.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 UGX 160.9K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

80.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.49 UGX 75.8K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-20.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 UGX 22.8K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

57.40%

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

$162 UGX 599.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-47.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,304 UGX 15.9M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-27.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.28 UGX 63.9K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-70.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.02 UGX 51.8K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-55.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.08 UGX 144.5K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-60.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.50 UGX 171.9K

$107 COP 389.7K

-56.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.5 UGX 353.1K

$487 COP 1.8M

-80.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.9 UGX 310.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-77.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 UGX 983.9K

$826 COP 3.0M

-67.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 UGX 709.8K

$716 COP 2.6M

-73.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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 Mbarara: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95.5 in Mbarara versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $190 – making Mbarara 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

Mbarara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Mbarara and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara 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 15% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mbarara. 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.