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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Mbarara vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $865 per month in Mbarara vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,193 per month in Mbarara vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Mbarara is about 46% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mbarara and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mbarara 60% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-54.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 UGX 99.0K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-19.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 UGX 31.6K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

13.32%

Cappuccino

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

$1.65 COP 5,276

64.24%

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

$0.48 UGX 1,794

$1.10 COP 3,514

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 UGX 1,080

$0.78 COP 2,491

-62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,140

$1.72 COP 5,484

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.57 UGX 2,149

$1.10 COP 3,521

-48.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,680

$1.26 COP 4,015

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,016

$1.38 COP 4,407

-2.90%

Eggs

$1.79 UGX 6,713

$2.18 COP 6,950

-17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 UGX 16.1K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

-4.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 UGX 18.7K

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-13.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.85 UGX 14.5K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-57.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

$2.32 COP 7,405

16.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,713

$1.06 COP 3,397

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UGX 6,503

$1.52 COP 4,838

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 UGX 5,999

$1.36 COP 4,327

17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 UGX 5,972

$1.13 COP 3,599

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 UGX 6,994

$1.17 COP 3,738

58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 UGX 3,959

$0.90 COP 2,876

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 UGX 2,157

$0.90 COP 2,861

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 UGX 10.8K

$2.23 COP 7,128

29.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 UGX 30.7K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-32.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 UGX 4,473

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 UGX 7,759

$2.48 COP 7,920

-16.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 UGX 3,263

$0.85 COP 2,723

2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,189

$1.42 COP 4,518

-59.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,057

$1.95 COP 6,223

-85.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-45.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,461

$0.99 COP 3,160

47.47%

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

$8,904 UGX 33.4M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

-49.41%

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

$8,779 UGX 32.9M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-67.24%

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

$41.35 UGX 155.2K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-50.19%

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

$14.46 UGX 54.3K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

49.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.05 UGX 161.6K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

83.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.96 UGX 78.6K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-17.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 UGX 24.2K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

63.29%

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

$159 UGX 595.0K

$316 COP 1.0M

-49.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 UGX 16.4M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-26.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.91 UGX 63.4K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-71.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.39 UGX 54.0K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-54.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.89 UGX 142.2K

$102 COP 324.4K

-62.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.98 UGX 176.3K

$107 COP 342.8K

-56.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 UGX 369.5K

$475 COP 1.5M

-79.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.7 UGX 314.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

-77.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 UGX 990.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

-68.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 UGX 727.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-73.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

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 Mbarara: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $98.5 in Mbarara versus $475 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: $164 vs $193 – 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 87%, 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 $805 per month in Mbarara and $1,504 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 18% 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 $537, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.