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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $753 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,118 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,483 in Kampala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 37% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

124.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

21.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

-16.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

-37.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.47 UGX 1,742

123.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.31 UGX 1,153

148.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.36 UGX 5,041

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

12.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.71 UGX 2,617

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.25 UGX 4,629

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.34 UGX 4,944

4.48%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.76 UGX 6,501

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

20.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

104.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.51 UGX 5,598

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.66 UGX 6,126

-7.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.58 UGX 5,827

-14.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.64 UGX 6,073

-31.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.94 UGX 7,194

-41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.07 UGX 3,955

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 UGX 1,973

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

-20.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

43.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.18 UGX 4,351

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.11 UGX 7,816

18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.79 UGX 2,937

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

-1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.55 UGX 2,029

158.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.28 UGX 1,037

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

80.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.43 UGX 5,285

-30.77%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

102.38%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

209.01%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

90.41%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

-31.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

-43.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

-48.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

158.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

-35.28%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$164 UGX 605.5K

86.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

42.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

235.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

122.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

164.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

133.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$402 UGX 1.5M

18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$225 UGX 831.5K

67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$987 UGX 3.6M

-14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$337 UGX 1.2M

116.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

156.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

37.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$192 UGX 710.4K

221.13%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $402 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 221% 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 $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 221% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $402 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,031 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 37% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.