Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $898 in Bishkek versus $747 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,128 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,508 in Kampala.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 20% more expensive than Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

119.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

-19.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

-30.75%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

-26.48%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.51 UGX 1,914

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.31 UGX 1,178

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.37 UGX 5,142

-14.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

-38.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$0.74 UGX 2,797

17.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$1.25 UGX 4,690

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.34 UGX 5,045

20.90%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.82 UGX 6,849

-5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

85.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

94.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

-60.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.46 UGX 5,496

30.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$1.65 UGX 6,219

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.53 UGX 5,746

11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$1.63 UGX 6,121

-66.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$1.91 UGX 7,172

-72.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$1.02 UGX 3,841

-42.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.54 UGX 2,013

-12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

-41.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.24 UGX 4,665

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$2.14 UGX 8,053

-12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.86 UGX 3,248

-72.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

-71.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.58 UGX 2,162

139.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.26 UGX 972

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

-14.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$1.46 UGX 5,478

-43.15%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

324.18%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

294.93%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

-17.88%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

-52.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

-73.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

-13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

108.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

-27.52%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$161 UGX 603.6K

22.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

3.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

115.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

182.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

142.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

113.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$395 UGX 1.5M

22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$219 UGX 822.4K

68.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$982 UGX 3.7M

-6.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$347 UGX 1.3M

80.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

34.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$980 UGX 3.7M

18.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$191 UGX 717.4K

150.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

20.8

-2.88%

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

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $395 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bishkek vs $26.00 in Kampala. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $166, with Kampala cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bishkek vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 151% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $486 in Bishkek versus $395 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $161 in Kampala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $747 in Kampala versus $898 in Bishkek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bishkek, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bishkek and Kampala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.