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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $537 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $865 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,193 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 25% lower, Mbarara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

118.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$26.39 UGX 99.0K

24.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$8.42 UGX 31.6K

-11.76%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

-39.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.48 UGX 1,794

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.29 UGX 1,080

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.37 UGX 5,140

25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

11.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.57 UGX 2,149

92.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.25 UGX 4,680

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.34 UGX 5,016

2.99%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.79 UGX 6,713

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$4.28 UGX 16.1K

4.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.99 UGX 18.7K

16.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$3.85 UGX 14.5K

132.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

-14.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.52 UGX 5,713

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.73 UGX 6,503

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.60 UGX 5,999

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.59 UGX 5,972

-28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.86 UGX 6,994

-37.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.05 UGX 3,959

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.57 UGX 2,157

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.88 UGX 10.8K

-22.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.18 UGX 30.7K

48.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.19 UGX 4,473

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.07 UGX 7,759

19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.87 UGX 3,263

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.58 UGX 2,189

144.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.28 UGX 1,057

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

83.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.46 UGX 5,461

-32.19%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$8,904 UGX 33.4M

97.69%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$8,779 UGX 32.9M

205.24%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$41.35 UGX 155.2K

100.75%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$14.46 UGX 54.3K

-32.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$43.05 UGX 161.6K

-45.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$20.96 UGX 78.6K

20.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.45 UGX 24.2K

-38.76%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$159 UGX 595.0K

99.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,380 UGX 16.4M

36.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$16.91 UGX 63.4K

254.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$14.39 UGX 54.0K

121.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$37.89 UGX 142.2K

168.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$46.98 UGX 176.3K

128.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$98.5 UGX 369.5K

382.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$83.7 UGX 314.0K

346.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$264 UGX 990.5K

221.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$194 UGX 727.1K

271.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

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 Mbarara: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $98.5 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: $193 vs $164 – 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $805 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 18% 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 $537, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.