Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kasese

For one person, living is cheaper in Kasese: $186 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Kasese
🇺🇬 Uganda
$186
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kasese

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kasese actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $186 in Kasese, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Kasese $186

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $298 in Kasese, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Kasese $298

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $410 in Kasese, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Kasese $410

Medellin costs about 774% more than Kasese, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Kasese is 86% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$1.67 UGX 6,865
397.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$2.48 UGX 10.2K
22.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$0.37 UGX 1,534
386.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.23 UGX 938
500.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$0.75 UGX 3,093
332.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$0.99 UGX 4,067
139.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$0.80 UGX 3,301
112.50%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$2.63 UGX 10.8K
12.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$4.72 UGX 19.4K
106.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$3.72 UGX 15.3K
273.66%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$2.39 UGX 9,851
72.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$0.50 UGX 2,057
354.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.49 UGX 2,032
306.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$0.50 UGX 2,055
234.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.46 UGX 1,900
169.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$3.53 UGX 14.5K
290.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$12.07 UGX 49.6K
12.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$23.74 UGX 97.6K
89.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$12.05 UGX 49.6K
628.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$16.55 UGX 68.1K
497.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$362 UGX 1.5M
1002.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kasese
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kasese: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Kasese
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Kasese
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Kasese
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Kasese
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Kasese
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Kasese
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Kasese
–
Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇬 Kasese
🕒 Local time
09:17 9:17 AM
17:17 5:17 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
101,679
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kasese 11,740 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kasese

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kasese: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kasese cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 774%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $279 in Kasese. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Kasese?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $186 in Kasese. That's a gap of about 774%.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Kasese?
Groceries cost about 239% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Kasese?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kasese, where all-in costs run around $186, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Kasese it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Kasese more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kasese – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kasese. 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.

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