Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Busia, Uganda and Iganga

For one person, living is cheaper in Busia: $67.7 a month against $391 in Iganga, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in Iganga
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Iganga Living Index

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Busia

🇺🇬 Uganda

$67.7

/mo nomad

Iganga

🇺🇬 Uganda

$391

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Busia and in Iganga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $68 in Busia versus $391 in Iganga.

Busia $68
Iganga $391

Estimated couple costs with rent: $112 in Busia versus $619 in Iganga.

Busia $112
Iganga $619

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $155 in Busia versus $846 in Iganga.

Busia $155
Iganga $846

Living in Busia costs roughly 83% less than in Iganga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Busia 95% lower, Iganga 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 UGX 9,664

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.71 UGX 95.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 UGX 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.49 UGX 10.0K

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

$0.36 UGX 1,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 UGX 963

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 UGX 4,612

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 UGX 6,998

Milk (1 liter)

$0.27 UGX 1,083

$0.82 UGX 3,301

-67.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 UGX 4,660

$0.84 UGX 3,411

36.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 UGX 4,917

Eggs

$1.38 UGX 5,582

$1.38 UGX 5,566

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 UGX 16.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 UGX 16.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.60 UGX 14.6K

$4.49 UGX 18.1K

-19.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 UGX 9,221

$1.94 UGX 7,850

17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,492

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 5,023

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 UGX 2,770

$1.25 UGX 5,032

-44.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 UGX 4,837

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 UGX 5,797

$1.25 UGX 5,037

15.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 UGX 2,779

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 UGX 970

$0.50 UGX 2,026

-52.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.03 UGX 4,166

$2.29 UGX 9,247

-55.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.79 UGX 19.3K

$6.85 UGX 27.7K

-30.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 UGX 3,710

$1.04 UGX 4,203

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 UGX 4,800

$1.76 UGX 7,125

-32.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 UGX 1,948

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 UGX 1,216

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 UGX 12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 UGX 5,425

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

$6,992 UGX 28.2M

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

$7,149 UGX 28.9M

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

$65.4 UGX 263.9K

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

$11.09 UGX 44.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.10 UGX 133.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 UGX 28.6K

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

$264 UGX 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K UGX 65.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.05 UGX 52.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.43 UGX 50.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.92 UGX 120.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.83 UGX 164.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

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

Last update for Busia: October 31, 2026

Last update for Iganga: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Busia

–

Iganga

$140 35.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Busia

–

Iganga

$110 28%

Eating Out

Busia

–

Iganga

$82 21%

Clothing & Footwear

Busia

–

Iganga

$43 11.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Busia

–

Iganga

$14 * 3.6%

Getting Around

Busia

–

Iganga

$2 * 0.5%

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

Good to know

🇺🇬 Busia

🇺🇬 Iganga

🕒 Local time

10:43 10:43 AM

Same time as Busia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,900

65,500

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.48 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.21 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.48 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Busia Iganga 70 km

From you

Busia
Iganga

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

Busia vs Iganga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in Iganga. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $102 in Busia and $587 in Iganga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 107% higher in Iganga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $68 per month in Busia versus $391 in Iganga – Busia is about 83% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Busia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.