Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mbarara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mbarara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $544 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $871 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,198 in Mbarara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mbarara are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mbarara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

116.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.49 UGX 99.3K

25.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.79 UGX 33.0K

-17.75%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

-42.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.47 UGX 1,754

131.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.31 UGX 1,177

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.40 UGX 5,256

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

18.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.53 UGX 1,996

98.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.21 UGX 4,543

6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.40 UGX 5,247

-5.71%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.81 UGX 6,793

25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.05 UGX 18.9K

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.99 UGX 15.0K

115.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.48 UGX 5,556

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.74 UGX 6,532

-12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.52 UGX 5,683

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.62 UGX 6,078

-27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.92 UGX 7,192

-39.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.07 UGX 4,004

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 UGX 2,177

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.89 UGX 10.8K

-22.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.76 UGX 32.8K

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.25 UGX 4,671

-8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.03 UGX 7,626

17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.80 UGX 3,016

5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.58 UGX 2,166

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.26 UGX 963

630.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

81.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.50 UGX 5,604

-32.67%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$8,971 UGX 33.6M

95.95%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$8,729 UGX 32.7M

203.54%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$42.35 UGX 158.7K

97.59%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.64 UGX 54.9K

-35.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$43.46 UGX 162.9K

-44.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$20.99 UGX 78.7K

20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.32 UGX 23.7K

-35.13%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$163 UGX 611.3K

91.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,250 UGX 15.9M

41.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$17.01 UGX 63.8K

241.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.22 UGX 53.3K

128.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$38.82 UGX 145.5K

156.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$47.37 UGX 177.5K

129.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$99.1 UGX 371.5K

386.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$82.1 UGX 307.7K

362.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$266 UGX 998.3K

214.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$191 UGX 717.3K

277.83%

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 Mbarara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $99.1 in Mbarara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $165 – making Mbarara 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 Mbarara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 87%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $816 in Mbarara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Mbarara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mbarara. 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.