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: $970 in Bishkek versus $729 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Bishkek versus $1,103 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Bishkek versus $1,478 in Kampala.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 33% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 29% lower, Kampala 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 KGS 593

$2.59 UGX 9,787

162.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 KGS 2,516

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

-24.35%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 217

$2.63 UGX 9,930

-5.32%

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

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$0.39 UGX 1,475

92.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KGS 32.86

$0.30 UGX 1,151

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.28 UGX 4,844

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.90 UGX 7,193

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.6

$0.83 UGX 3,154

25.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.62

$0.97 UGX 3,684

-56.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.39 UGX 5,262

24.46%

Eggs

$1.70 KGS 149

$1.56 UGX 5,912

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 KGS 651

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

57.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 KGS 412

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 KGS 748

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

67.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$2.07 UGX 7,809

-31.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 KGS 157

$1.16 UGX 4,385

54.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$1.39 UGX 5,236

45.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$1.25 UGX 4,709

24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$1.27 UGX 4,786

-53.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.52

$1.34 UGX 5,060

-64.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KGS 65.1

$0.82 UGX 3,112

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 50.7

$0.52 UGX 1,969

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 176

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

-25.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 KGS 811

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

16.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.05 UGX 3,961

31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 KGS 175

$2.08 UGX 7,872

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.78 UGX 2,933

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

$45.89 UGX 173.4K

-74.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$0.55 UGX 2,071

50.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 41.87

$0.32 UGX 1,209

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 KGS 491

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

75.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.9

$1.40 UGX 5,301

-31.43%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

278.42%

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

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

311.91%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,425

$75.2 UGX 284.2K

-32.72%

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

$5.81 KGS 508

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

-52.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.03 KGS 1,052

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

-67.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

$59.3 UGX 224.2K

-8.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

125.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 492

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

-29.93%

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

$221 KGS 19.3K

$256 UGX 965.6K

-13.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

-9.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 KGS 4,871

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

269.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 KGS 3,830

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

222.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 KGS 8,018

$34.02 UGX 128.6K

169.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 KGS 7,998

$46.25 UGX 174.8K

97.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$517 UGX 2.0M

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

$182 UGX 687.7K

128.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

-5.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

$327 UGX 1.2M

119.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

46.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

$987 UGX 3.7M

21.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 KGS 43.9K

$188 UGX 709.5K

167.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

20.75

-2.55%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Bishkek and $517 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 167% 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: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $154 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

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 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 167% higher in Bishkek, 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: $580 in Bishkek versus $517 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $221 in Bishkek versus $256 in Kampala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $729 in Kampala versus $970 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 33% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.