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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $428 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $693 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $958 in Masindi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 134% more expensive than in Masindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Masindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

117.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.09 UGX 97.7K

26.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.53 UGX 31.9K

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

-42.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.47 UGX 1,772

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.29 UGX 1,067

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.38 UGX 5,166

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.72 UGX 2,690

52.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.26 UGX 4,710

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.37 UGX 5,131

0.73%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.82 UGX 6,818

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.21 UGX 15.8K

6.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.09 UGX 19.1K

13.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

113.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

-17.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.47 UGX 5,485

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.66 UGX 6,204

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.60 UGX 5,998

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.65 UGX 6,174

-31.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.93 UGX 7,234

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.07 UGX 4,008

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.55 UGX 2,045

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.95 UGX 11.0K

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.76 UGX 29.1K

56.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.23 UGX 4,592

-3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.15 UGX 8,042

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.53 UGX 2,000

167.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.26 UGX 965

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.11 UGX 15.4K

91.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.44 UGX 5,402

-31.25%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$9,136 UGX 34.2M

92.66%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$8,929 UGX 33.4M

200.13%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$41.60 UGX 155.8K

99.54%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.39 UGX 53.9K

-32.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$43.08 UGX 161.3K

-45.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.37 UGX 23.8K

-37.99%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$159 UGX 595.4K

98.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,344 UGX 16.3M

37.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$17.13 UGX 64.2K

250.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$14.41 UGX 54.0K

120.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$38.59 UGX 144.5K

163.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$47.10 UGX 176.4K

128.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Masindi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $166 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 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $642 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 16% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $428 in Masindi – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $428 in Masindi versus $1,003 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 134% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.