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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $521 per month in Mbarara vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $826 per month in Mbarara vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Mbarara vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Mbarara is about 68% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mbarara sits 62% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-66.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.08 UGX 100.8K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-45.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 UGX 30.0K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-17.62%

Cappuccino

$2.60 UGX 10.1K

$2.94 COP 9,040

-11.56%

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

$0.40 UGX 1,540

$1.86 COP 5,735

-78.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,068

$1.46 COP 4,479

-80.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 UGX 5,172

$3.21 COP 9,882

-58.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 UGX 7,298

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-66.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 UGX 1,990

$1.44 COP 4,428

-63.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 UGX 3,684

$2.40 COP 7,389

-60.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,169

$1.70 COP 5,228

-21.18%

Eggs

$1.59 UGX 6,159

$2.89 COP 8,896

-44.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.84 UGX 18.7K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-51.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 UGX 18.9K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-50.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.75 UGX 14.5K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-73.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 UGX 8,110

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-47.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,469

$1.58 COP 4,878

-26.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,392

$2.15 COP 6,624

-34.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 UGX 4,957

$2.30 COP 7,078

-44.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,826

$2.00 COP 6,169

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,253

$1.51 COP 4,646

-9.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,011

$1.20 COP 3,701

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 UGX 2,142

$1.28 COP 3,946

-57.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 UGX 10.2K

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 UGX 29.9K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 UGX 4,155

$1.71 COP 5,256

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UGX 7,838

$2.74 COP 8,440

-25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 UGX 2,980

$1.25 COP 3,834

-38.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 1,991

$1.31 COP 4,016

-60.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,224

$2.17 COP 6,680

-85.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 UGX 12.9K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-59.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,652

$1.36 COP 4,172

7.35%

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

$7,861 UGX 30.4M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-71.39%

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

$7,888 UGX 30.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-78.41%

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

$73.9 UGX 285.5K

$169 COP 519.2K

-56.20%

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

$12.57 UGX 48.6K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.93 UGX 146.6K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

33.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 UGX 77.9K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-55.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 UGX 30.1K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

16.99%

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

$260 UGX 1.0M

$803 COP 2.5M

-67.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,382 UGX 32.4M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-8.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.65 UGX 56.6K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-83.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.84 UGX 53.5K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-76.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.21 UGX 132.2K

$139 COP 427.5K

-75.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.35 UGX 179.1K

$102 COP 314.0K

-54.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.6 UGX 361.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-91.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.3 UGX 302.6K

$653 COP 2.0M

-88.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 UGX 975.0K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-86.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 UGX 728.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-82.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

10.94

89.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mbarara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $93.6 in Mbarara versus $1,071 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $300 – 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 215%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $781 per month in Mbarara and $2,462 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 $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 104% 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 $521, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.