Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $747 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,128 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,508 in Kampala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 36% more expensive than Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

112.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

25.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

-15.49%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

-40.42%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.51 UGX 1,914

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.31 UGX 1,178

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.37 UGX 5,142

22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.74 UGX 2,797

47.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.25 UGX 4,690

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.34 UGX 5,045

2.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.82 UGX 6,849

20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

14.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

114.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.46 UGX 5,496

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.65 UGX 6,219

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.53 UGX 5,746

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.63 UGX 6,121

-29.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.91 UGX 7,172

-39.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.02 UGX 3,841

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.54 UGX 2,013

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

-21.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.24 UGX 4,665

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.14 UGX 8,053

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.86 UGX 3,248

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.58 UGX 2,162

153.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.26 UGX 972

653.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

87.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.46 UGX 5,478

-34.93%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

101.79%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

206.22%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

97.10%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

-32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

-44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

-46.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

151.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

-37.12%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$161 UGX 603.6K

92.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

36.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

241.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

127.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

162.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

127.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$395 UGX 1.5M

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$219 UGX 822.4K

73.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$982 UGX 3.7M

-14.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$347 UGX 1.3M

108.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

126.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$980 UGX 3.7M

23.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$191 UGX 717.4K

168.26%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $395 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 168% 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 Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $166 per month, with Kampala 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 Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 168% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $395 in Kampala. 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.