Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Entebbe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Entebbe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $585 in Entebbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $905 in Entebbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,226 in Entebbe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 76% more expensive than in Entebbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Entebbe 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.79 UGX 10.2K

115.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$26.24 UGX 95.7K

25.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$8.39 UGX 30.6K

-11.56%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.75 UGX 10.0K

-40.00%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.48 UGX 1,736

122.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.31 UGX 1,139

145.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.43 UGX 5,208

20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.81 UGX 10.3K

13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$0.69 UGX 2,532

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.20 UGX 4,387

9.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.39 UGX 5,057

-3.60%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.81 UGX 6,617

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$4.41 UGX 16.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.93 UGX 18.0K

15.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$4.13 UGX 15.1K

106.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.71 UGX 9,890

-13.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.48 UGX 5,385

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.68 UGX 6,137

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.61 UGX 5,855

-14.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.65 UGX 6,030

-30.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.93 UGX 7,033

-38.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.01 UGX 3,701

-16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.54 UGX 1,984

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$2.85 UGX 10.4K

-20.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$9.51 UGX 34.7K

21.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.22 UGX 4,466

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.15 UGX 7,836

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.58 UGX 2,118

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$0.58 UGX 2,130

153.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.28 UGX 1,024

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$4.12 UGX 15.0K

88.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.36 UGX 4,970

-25.74%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$9,166 UGX 33.4M

92.65%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$8,744 UGX 31.9M

202.56%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$42.20 UGX 153.9K

92.18%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$14.26 UGX 52.0K

-33.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$43.43 UGX 158.4K

-45.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$6.22 UGX 22.7K

-34.24%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$158 UGX 576.0K

99.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$4,368 UGX 15.9M

37.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$17.04 UGX 62.2K

250.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$14.32 UGX 52.2K

123.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$38.52 UGX 140.5K

162.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$46.88 UGX 171.0K

124.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$252 UGX 920.0K

92.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$137 UGX 499.4K

166.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$410 UGX 1.5M

101.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$280 UGX 1.0M

160.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$132 UGX 480.8K

317.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.8

-35.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Entebbe: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $252 in Entebbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 318% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Entebbe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $168 per month, with Entebbe 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

Medellin vs Entebbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Entebbe differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $585 including rent). Entebbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 318% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $252 in Entebbe. 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $585 in Entebbe – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $585 in Entebbe versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Entebbe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Entebbe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Entebbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.