Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mpigi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mpigi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $430 in Mpigi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $702 in Mpigi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $974 in Mpigi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 140% more than Mpigi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mpigi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mpigi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.75 UGX 10.2K

124.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.11 UGX 96.6K

24.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.52 UGX 31.5K

-13.85%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

-39.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.51 UGX 1,875

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.31 UGX 1,149

148.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.37 UGX 5,053

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.70 UGX 9,982

17.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.70 UGX 2,592

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 UGX 4,508

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.34 UGX 4,968

4.48%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.85 UGX 6,828

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.35 UGX 16.1K

0.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.85 UGX 18.0K

21.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.33 UGX 16.0K

99.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

-16.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.48 UGX 5,462

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.69 UGX 6,234

-9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.52 UGX 5,605

-11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.59 UGX 5,865

-28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.91 UGX 7,074

-40.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.03 UGX 3,795

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 UGX 2,114

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.89 UGX 10.7K

-19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.78 UGX 32.5K

40.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.18 UGX 4,380

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.14 UGX 7,925

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.54 UGX 2,000

162.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.28 UGX 1,047

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.25 UGX 15.7K

80.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.43 UGX 5,286

-30.77%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$9,062 UGX 33.5M

98.96%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$8,730 UGX 32.3M

205.00%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$42.67 UGX 157.8K

89.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.13 UGX 52.3K

-29.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$43.68 UGX 161.5K

-44.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.17 UGX 22.8K

-35.49%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$159 UGX 587.4K

92.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,280 UGX 15.8M

41.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$16.79 UGX 62.1K

246.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$14.36 UGX 53.1K

124.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$39.08 UGX 144.6K

157.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$46.18 UGX 170.8K

133.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 12, 2026

Last update for Mpigi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Mpigi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $166 – making Mpigi 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 Mpigi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 140%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $645 in Mpigi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mpigi, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Mpigi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mpigi – 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 Mpigi. 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.