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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $544 per month in Mbarara vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $871 per month in Mbarara vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,198 per month in Mbarara vs $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-53.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 UGX 99.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-20.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 UGX 33.0K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

21.58%

Cappuccino

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

$1.63 COP 5,687

73.62%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,754

$1.09 COP 3,821

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,177

$0.73 COP 2,548

-57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 UGX 5,256

$1.74 COP 6,065

-19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 UGX 1,996

$1.05 COP 3,662

-49.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 UGX 4,543

$1.29 COP 4,515

-6.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,247

$1.32 COP 4,617

6.06%

Eggs

$1.81 UGX 6,793

$2.27 COP 7,927

-20.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 18.9K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-14.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.99 UGX 15.0K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-53.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

$2.25 COP 7,844

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 UGX 5,556

$1.07 COP 3,733

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 UGX 6,532

$1.52 COP 5,322

14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,683

$1.42 COP 4,964

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 UGX 6,078

$1.17 COP 4,084

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UGX 7,192

$1.17 COP 4,077

64.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 4,004

$0.89 COP 3,096

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,177

$0.90 COP 3,146

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.8K

$2.25 COP 7,837

28.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 UGX 32.8K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UGX 4,671

$1.14 COP 3,977

9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UGX 7,626

$2.38 COP 8,301

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 UGX 3,016

$0.84 COP 2,916

-4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,166

$1.41 COP 4,912

-58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 963

$1.90 COP 6,634

-86.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 UGX 5,604

$1.01 COP 3,509

48.51%

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

$8,971 UGX 33.6M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-48.97%

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

$8,729 UGX 32.7M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-67.06%

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

$42.35 UGX 158.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-49.39%

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

$14.64 UGX 54.9K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

54.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.46 UGX 162.9K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

80.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.99 UGX 78.7K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-17.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 UGX 23.7K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

54.15%

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

$163 UGX 611.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,250 UGX 15.9M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-29.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.01 UGX 63.8K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-70.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.22 UGX 53.3K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-56.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.82 UGX 145.5K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-61.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 UGX 177.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.1 UGX 371.5K

$482 COP 1.7M

-79.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 UGX 307.7K

$379 COP 1.3M

-78.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 UGX 998.3K

$837 COP 2.9M

-68.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 UGX 717.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-73.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.1 in Mbarara versus $482 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 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 $816 per month in Mbarara and $1,525 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 $544, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.