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: $901 in Bishkek versus $753 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,118 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,483 in Kampala.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

135.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

-21.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

-35.12%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

-24.45%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$0.47 UGX 1,742

34.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.31 UGX 1,153

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.36 UGX 5,041

-10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

-39.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$0.71 UGX 2,617

35.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$1.25 UGX 4,629

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.34 UGX 4,944

17.16%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$1.76 UGX 6,501

-1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

88.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

-0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

87.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-58.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.51 UGX 5,598

28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$1.66 UGX 6,126

27.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.58 UGX 5,827

8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$1.64 UGX 6,073

-66.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$1.94 UGX 7,194

-74.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$1.07 UGX 3,955

-48.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.53 UGX 1,973

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

-40.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

-5.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.18 UGX 4,351

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$2.11 UGX 7,816

-10.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.79 UGX 2,937

-72.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

-72.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.55 UGX 2,029

156.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.28 UGX 1,037

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

-21.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$1.43 UGX 5,285

-40.56%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

317.73%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

289.35%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

-18.40%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

-53.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

-72.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

-12.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

115.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

-26.99%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$164 UGX 605.5K

22.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

7.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

118.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

178.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

152.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

126.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$402 UGX 1.5M

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$225 UGX 831.5K

64.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$987 UGX 3.6M

-6.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$337 UGX 1.2M

88.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

42.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

17.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$192 UGX 710.4K

155.32%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $402 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 155% 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 $27.00 in Kampala. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 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.

Average pay runs 155% 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: $498 in Bishkek versus $402 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $164 in Kampala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $753 in Kampala versus $901 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.