Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgrade and Kampala

For one person, living is cheaper in Kampala: $674 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,538
/mo nomad
Kampala
🇺🇬 Uganda
$674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgrade and in Kampala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Belgrade and in Kampala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Belgrade vs $674 in Kampala, rent included.

  • Belgrade $1,538
  • Kampala $674

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Belgrade vs $1,045 in Kampala, rent included.

  • Belgrade $2,321
  • Kampala $1,045

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Belgrade vs $1,417 in Kampala, rent included.

  • Belgrade $3,105
  • Kampala $1,417

Belgrade costs about 128% more than Kampala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Belgrade sits 15% above the global median, while Kampala is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.33 RSD 1,389
$2.54 UGX 10.3K
424.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.4 RSD 6,085
$25.10 UGX 101.5K
132.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 RSD 1,414
$7.40 UGX 29.9K
83.51%
Cappuccino
$3.13 RSD 326
$2.57 UGX 10.4K
21.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 RSD 288
$0.38 UGX 1,543
628.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 RSD 237
$0.26 UGX 1,044
773.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 RSD 390
$1.21 UGX 4,910
209.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 RSD 456
$1.92 UGX 7,748
128.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 RSD 146
$0.76 UGX 3,069
84.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 RSD 122
$0.95 UGX 3,832
23.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 RSD 282
$1.33 UGX 5,360
103.76%
Eggs
$2.78 RSD 289
$1.64 UGX 6,631
69.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.36 RSD 1,184
$4.37 UGX 17.7K
159.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.01 RSD 731
$4.60 UGX 18.6K
52.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.72 RSD 1,638
$4.87 UGX 19.7K
222.79%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 RSD 173
$2.19 UGX 8,869
-24.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 RSD 188
$1.24 UGX 5,033
45.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 RSD 190
$1.30 UGX 5,253
40.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 RSD 326
$1.22 UGX 4,928
156.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 RSD 91.3
$1.21 UGX 4,912
-27.27%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 RSD 70.3
$1.25 UGX 5,061
-46.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 RSD 84.4
$0.78 UGX 3,168
3.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 RSD 70.9
$0.50 UGX 2,020
36.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.78 RSD 498
$2.51 UGX 10.2K
90.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.54 RSD 889
$7.54 UGX 30.5K
13.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 RSD 97.7
$1.10 UGX 4,458
-14.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 RSD 150
$1.95 UGX 7,880
-26.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.72 UGX 2,913
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$42.82 UGX 173.2K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 RSD 322
$0.51 UGX 2,072
505.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 RSD 107
$0.32 UGX 1,297
218.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.18 RSD 1,789
$3.19 UGX 12.9K
438.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 RSD 195
$1.45 UGX 5,866
28.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
$7,493 UGX 30.3M
310.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K RSD 2.5M
$7,453 UGX 30.1M
225.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 RSD 22.7K
$70.9 UGX 287.0K
206.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.24 RSD 2,629
$11.85 UGX 47.9K
113.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.35 RSD 3,683
$35.59 UGX 144.0K
-0.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.77 RSD 4,351
$56.9 UGX 230.2K
-26.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.80 RSD 2,375
$5.97 UGX 24.1K
281.91%
Cinema Ticket
$8.47 RSD 882
$7.54 UGX 30.5K
12.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$426 RSD 44.4K
$254 UGX 1.0M
68.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
$8,231 UGX 33.3M
38.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 RSD 11.6K
$14.16 UGX 57.3K
684.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.99 RSD 4,791
$13.02 UGX 52.7K
253.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 RSD 12.4K
$32.01 UGX 129.5K
272.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 RSD 16.0K
$43.76 UGX 177.0K
251.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 RSD 85.6K
$495 UGX 2.0M
65.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$561 RSD 58.4K
$172 UGX 695.0K
226.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 RSD 157.4K
$1,044 UGX 4.2M
44.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$942 RSD 98.1K
$301 UGX 1.2M
213.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,312 RSD 553.4K
$1,214 UGX 4.9M
337.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,165 RSD 329.7K
$983 UGX 4.0M
221.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgrade
Kampala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,228 RSD 127.9K
$176 UGX 712.8K
596.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.61
20.75
-77.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Last update for Kampala: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belgrade
$561
Kampala
$172 69.4% $389
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgrade
$278
Kampala
$118 57.5% $160
Groceries & Markets
Belgrade
$246
Kampala
$149 39.4% $97
Eating Out
Belgrade
$233
Kampala
$86 63.1% $147
Clothing & Footwear
Belgrade
$194
Kampala
$46 76.1% $147
Sport & Entertainment
Belgrade
$59
Kampala
$72 22.6% $13
Getting Around
Belgrade
$8.2 *
Kampala
$48 482% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Belgrade versus $495 in Kampala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 597% higher in Belgrade, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade versus $25.00 in Kampala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $149 – making Kampala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🇺🇬 Kampala
🕒 Local time
08:15 8:15 AM
09:15 9:15 AM
1 h ahead of Belgrade
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,197,714 Capital
1,516,210 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD, EUR to RSD – Serbian Dinar Converter

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,045 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.47 USD). 1 EUR = 4,537 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belgrade Kampala 5,090 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Belgrade
  • Kampala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Belgrade vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Belgrade and in Kampala compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,538 in Belgrade, $674 in Kampala – roughly 128% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Belgrade compared to Kampala?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Belgrade and $1,011 in Kampala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Belgrade and Kampala?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kampala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Belgrade and $25.00 in Kampala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 65% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kampala, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Kampala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Belgrade or Kampala?
Families tend to lean toward Kampala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Belgrade or Kampala safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Belgrade and Kampala?
If budget matters most, go with Kampala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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