Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kapchorwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kapchorwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $451 in Kapchorwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $709 in Kapchorwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $966 in Kapchorwa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 274% more than Kapchorwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kapchorwa is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.62 UGX 9,740

201.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$26.40 UGX 98.1K

68.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.91 UGX 29.4K

17.45%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.64 UGX 9,821

9.85%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.43 UGX 1,612

320.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.30 UGX 1,129

416.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.37 UGX 5,109

137.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.02 UGX 7,514

191.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.86 UGX 3,191

60.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.99 UGX 3,687

147.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.34 UGX 4,986

12.69%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.58 UGX 5,871

75.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.73 UGX 17.6K

91.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.94 UGX 18.4K

115.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$5.38 UGX 20.0K

171.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.33 UGX 8,671

70.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.33 UGX 4,941

3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.46 UGX 5,425

57.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.26 UGX 4,697

60.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.41 UGX 5,251

48.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.46 UGX 5,436

11.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.81 UGX 3,005

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.53 UGX 1,956

135.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.70 UGX 10.0K

49.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$8.12 UGX 30.2K

65.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.12 UGX 4,180

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.06 UGX 7,654

45.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.52 UGX 1,933

209.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.35 UGX 1,314

508.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$3.41 UGX 12.7K

149.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.43 UGX 5,312

-5.59%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$8,155 UGX 30.3M

247.33%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$8,067 UGX 30.0M

342.48%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$75.0 UGX 278.7K

101.87%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.50 UGX 57.6K

-15.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$38.65 UGX 143.6K

-16.43%

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

$7.24 UGX 26.9K

-11.19%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$252 UGX 934.7K

231.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,649 UGX 32.1M

2.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$14.80 UGX 55.0K

503.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$13.83 UGX 51.4K

299.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$35.58 UGX 132.2K

283.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$46.44 UGX 172.6K

135.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

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

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 Kapchorwa: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Kapchorwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $160 – making Kapchorwa 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

Medellin vs Kapchorwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 274%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $677 in Kapchorwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $451 in Kapchorwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $252 in Kapchorwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kapchorwa, where all-in costs run around $451, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Kapchorwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kapchorwa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kapchorwa. 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.