Objectives: Adaptation to ulcerative colitis (UC) is very complex as it has a huge impact in the quality of life of those who suffer with it. In the present study the objective was to determine the differences in quality of life between UC patients and a control group. Patients and Methods: This study included 30 patients with ulcerative colitis and 30 age and sex-matched control subjects. The diagnosis was based on medical history in addition to clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histological features. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured by the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, a multifunctional, non-disease specific, 36-item health survey. Statistical software MedCalc ver. 11.5.1.0 for Windows (MedCalc Software, Ostend, Belgium) was used for statistical data analysis. Results: Significant differences between groups were observed in 2 domains, domain role limitations due to physical health and domain general health. The mean value for the self-assessment of quality of life for UC patients was 7 in comparison to the control group which had a mean value of 9. This demonstrated that patients with ulcerative colitis perceived their quality of life as significantly lower than the control patients. Negative correlation was found between UC duration and 3 domains of SF-36 questionnaire: physical functioning (r=-0.519, P=0.003), role limitations due to physical health (r=-0.434, P=0.017) and general health (r=-0.358, P=0.050). There was no significant correlation observed between disease duration and other domains of the SF-36 questionnaire. Quality of life remains similar among patients regardless of their disease activity. There were no significant differences observed in any SF-36 domains among patients with active UC and patients whose disease is currently not active. Conclusion: Results confirmed the hypothesis that patients with UC have reduced quality of life when compared to healthy individuals.