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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $569 in Entebbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $889 in Entebbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,209 in Entebbe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 196% more expensive than in Entebbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Entebbe is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

191.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$26.45 UGX 98.3K

68.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.92 UGX 29.4K

17.30%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.09 UGX 7,769

38.76%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.26 UGX 966

596.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.28 UGX 1,049

453.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$0.91 UGX 3,372

257.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.32 UGX 4,894

345.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.81 UGX 3,006

70.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.95 UGX 3,530

157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.40 UGX 5,220

7.86%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.54 UGX 5,709

80.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.71 UGX 17.5K

92.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.85 UGX 18.0K

119.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$5.22 UGX 19.4K

180.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.46 UGX 9,127

61.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.29 UGX 4,797

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.40 UGX 5,193

64.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.33 UGX 4,936

51.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.36 UGX 5,063

53.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.50 UGX 5,590

8.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.81 UGX 3,000

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.54 UGX 2,007

131.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.70 UGX 10.0K

49.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$8.13 UGX 30.2K

65.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.13 UGX 4,210

41.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.05 UGX 7,613

46.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.57 UGX 2,106

107.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.57 UGX 2,103

182.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.33 UGX 1,218

545.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$3.33 UGX 12.4K

155.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.31 UGX 4,882

3.05%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$8,007 UGX 29.8M

253.75%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$8,156 UGX 30.3M

337.60%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$76.0 UGX 282.3K

99.26%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.26 UGX 56.7K

-14.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$38.83 UGX 144.3K

-16.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.40 UGX 27.5K

-13.11%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$254 UGX 942.9K

229.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,696 UGX 32.3M

2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$14.85 UGX 55.2K

501.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$13.89 UGX 51.6K

298.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$34.46 UGX 128.1K

296.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$47.67 UGX 177.2K

129.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$242 UGX 899.8K

293.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$136 UGX 504.1K

392.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$403 UGX 1.5M

401.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$267 UGX 992.3K

330.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$137 UGX 508.5K

357.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

20.75

-49.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Entebbe: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $242 in Entebbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 357% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Entebbe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $158 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 196% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $569 including rent). Entebbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 357% 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: $952 in Medellin versus $242 in Entebbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $569 in Entebbe – a 196% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $569 in Entebbe versus $1,687 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 196% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.