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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $437 in Kapchorwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $701 in Kapchorwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $965 in Kapchorwa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than Kapchorwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kapchorwa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kapchorwa 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.85 UGX 10.5K

110.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$26.88 UGX 99.5K

22.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.79 UGX 32.5K

-15.59%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.87 UGX 10.6K

-42.51%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.47 UGX 1,737

127.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.29 UGX 1,070

162.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.35 UGX 5,015

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

17.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.76 UGX 2,798

38.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.26 UGX 4,649

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.39 UGX 5,159

-3.60%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.78 UGX 6,594

23.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$4.38 UGX 16.2K

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$5.04 UGX 18.7K

12.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$4.31 UGX 16.0K

97.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.68 UGX 9,904

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.54 UGX 5,712

-27.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.72 UGX 6,348

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.52 UGX 5,638

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.66 UGX 6,135

-30.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.85 UGX 6,843

-36.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.02 UGX 3,767

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.54 UGX 2,004

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.90 UGX 10.7K

-22.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$9.16 UGX 33.9K

26.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.22 UGX 4,519

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.13 UGX 7,890

16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.55 UGX 2,022

167.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.26 UGX 962

638.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$4.11 UGX 15.2K

89.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.45 UGX 5,383

-30.34%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$9,104 UGX 33.7M

93.96%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$8,902 UGX 32.9M

197.20%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$41.88 UGX 155.0K

93.65%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$14.37 UGX 53.2K

-34.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$43.39 UGX 160.6K

-45.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$6.24 UGX 23.1K

-34.46%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$162 UGX 599.1K

94.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,262 UGX 15.8M

41.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$16.96 UGX 62.8K

252.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$14.15 UGX 52.4K

125.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$38.57 UGX 142.7K

162.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$46.95 UGX 173.8K

123.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

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

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 Kapchorwa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Kapchorwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $169 – 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 135%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $655 in Kapchorwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $437 in Kapchorwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $162 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 $437, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.