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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $434 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $706 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $978 in Masindi.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Masindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

111.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.94 UGX 101.0K

23.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.51 UGX 31.9K

-15.04%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

-42.20%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.47 UGX 1,777

131.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 UGX 1,087

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.37 UGX 5,136

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

14.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.70 UGX 2,632

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.26 UGX 4,708

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.32 UGX 4,955

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.76 UGX 6,611

28.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.88 UGX 18.3K

20.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.21 UGX 15.8K

104.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.79 UGX 10.5K

-19.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.51 UGX 5,670

-29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.71 UGX 6,423

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.54 UGX 5,769

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.59 UGX 5,953

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.93 UGX 7,230

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 UGX 3,975

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.53 UGX 1,998

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.96 UGX 11.1K

-23.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.73 UGX 32.7K

26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.19 UGX 4,461

-4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.15 UGX 8,041

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.54 UGX 2,030

161.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 UGX 969

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.26 UGX 15.9K

81.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.45 UGX 5,453

-30.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$9,094 UGX 34.1M

93.32%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$8,938 UGX 33.5M

196.41%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$42.45 UGX 159.1K

97.13%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.44 UGX 54.1K

-34.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$43.90 UGX 164.5K

-45.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.16 UGX 23.1K

-33.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$164 UGX 614.3K

90.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,304 UGX 16.1M

39.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$16.66 UGX 62.5K

248.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.52 UGX 54.4K

124.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$39.26 UGX 147.1K

153.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$46.28 UGX 173.5K

134.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 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 8, 2026

Last update for Masindi: June 7, 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 $167 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 $1,525 in Medellin and $651 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 14% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $434 in Masindi – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Masindi versus $1,017 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.