Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in Carthage versus $747 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Carthage versus $1,128 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,462 in Carthage versus $1,508 in Kampala.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 13% less than in Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 52% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 TND 14.55

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

77.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 TND 75.0

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

-1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 TND 15.14

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

-37.78%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.08

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

-63.07%

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

$0.70 TND 2.04

$0.51 UGX 1,914

37.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 TND 0.82

$0.31 UGX 1,178

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 TND 4.87

$1.37 UGX 5,142

22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.57

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

-29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$0.74 UGX 2,797

-33.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$1.25 UGX 4,690

-84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 TND 5.04

$1.34 UGX 5,045

29.85%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.77

$1.82 UGX 6,849

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 TND 30.39

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

144.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 TND 17.75

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 TND 43.21

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

258.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 TND 5.88

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

-26.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 TND 10.24

$1.46 UGX 5,496

141.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.26

$1.65 UGX 6,219

-32.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$1.53 UGX 5,746

-51.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.27

$1.63 UGX 6,121

-52.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.92

$1.91 UGX 7,172

-65.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.34

$1.02 UGX 3,841

-54.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.54 UGX 2,013

-42.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 TND 10.32

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

23.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 TND 22.59

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

-11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TND 3.77

$1.24 UGX 4,665

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.65

$2.14 UGX 8,053

-41.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.03

$0.86 UGX 3,248

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 TND 21.08

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

-82.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$0.58 UGX 2,162

-44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.26 UGX 972

19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 TND 9.79

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

-18.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.41

$1.46 UGX 5,478

-43.15%

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

$40.3K TND 117.1K

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

349.01%

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

$36.2K TND 105.1K

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

318.44%

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

$45.69 TND 133

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

9.49%

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

$9.47 TND 27.50

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

-32.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 TND 55.0

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

-56.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.63 TND 109

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

-22.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 TND 39.15

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

78.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 TND 15.41

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

-15.04%

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

$109 TND 316

$161 UGX 603.6K

-32.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,369 TND 9,781

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

-22.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.85 TND 130

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

160.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 TND 178

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

332.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 TND 282

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

148.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 191

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 487

$395 UGX 1.5M

-57.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 TND 290

$219 UGX 822.4K

-54.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 TND 874

$982 UGX 3.7M

-69.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 695

$347 UGX 1.3M

-30.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 TND 2,519

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

-29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$413 TND 1,198

$980 UGX 3.7M

-57.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 807

$191 UGX 717.4K

45.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

20.8

-47.31%

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

Last update for Carthage: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $395 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carthage pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Carthage vs $26.00 in Kampala. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 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

Carthage vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage and Kampala differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($650 vs $747 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Carthage pays 46% 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: $168 in Carthage versus $395 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kampala pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Kampala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Carthage gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.