Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Masindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Masindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $438 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $704 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $970 in Masindi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 136% more expensive than Masindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Masindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

106.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$26.64 UGX 98.8K

22.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.57 UGX 31.8K

-15.99%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

-40.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.50 UGX 1,866

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.29 UGX 1,057

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.37 UGX 5,065

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.71 UGX 10.0K

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.76 UGX 2,826

39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 UGX 4,645

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.39 UGX 5,149

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.81 UGX 6,713

24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.14 UGX 19.0K

13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.32 UGX 16.0K

104.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.78 UGX 10.3K

-19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.47 UGX 5,451

-26.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.73 UGX 6,431

-11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.54 UGX 5,726

-11.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.57 UGX 5,827

-28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.91 UGX 7,084

-41.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.02 UGX 3,799

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.58 UGX 2,157

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.91 UGX 10.8K

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.51 UGX 35.3K

17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.23 UGX 4,552

-3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.13 UGX 7,882

11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.54 UGX 1,995

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.26 UGX 952

634.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.29 UGX 15.9K

86.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.44 UGX 5,330

-34.72%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$9,174 UGX 34.0M

95.35%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$8,843 UGX 32.8M

202.97%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$42.70 UGX 158.3K

96.63%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.10 UGX 52.3K

-31.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$44.23 UGX 164.0K

-45.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.21 UGX 23.0K

-36.88%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$162 UGX 602.4K

88.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,292 UGX 15.9M

37.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$17.05 UGX 63.2K

239.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$14.49 UGX 53.7K

119.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$39.34 UGX 145.9K

153.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$46.96 UGX 174.1K

128.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Masindi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $171 per month, with Masindi 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 Masindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $657 in Masindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $438 in Masindi – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $438 in Masindi versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masindi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Masindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masindi 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 Masindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.