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: $725 in Carthage versus $729 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,146 in Carthage versus $1,103 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Carthage versus $1,478 in Kampala.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 1% less than in Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 TND 13.19

$2.59 UGX 9,784

76.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.03 TND 63.7

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

-17.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 TND 17.23

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

-22.40%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.06

$2.63 UGX 9,927

-59.70%

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

$0.80 TND 2.32

$0.39 UGX 1,475

105.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$0.30 UGX 1,150

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 TND 4.88

$1.28 UGX 4,843

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 TND 6.14

$1.90 UGX 7,191

11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$0.83 UGX 3,153

-38.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 TND 0.72

$0.97 UGX 3,683

-74.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 TND 5.23

$1.39 UGX 5,261

30.22%

Eggs

$1.70 TND 4.92

$1.56 UGX 5,910

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 TND 30.15

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

119.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 TND 16.97

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

22.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 TND 42.81

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

189.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 TND 4.10

$2.07 UGX 7,807

-31.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 TND 11.16

$1.16 UGX 4,383

232.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$1.39 UGX 5,234

-17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$1.25 UGX 4,707

-40.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$1.27 UGX 4,785

-33.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.91

$1.34 UGX 5,059

-50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$0.82 UGX 3,111

-37.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.52 UGX 1,969

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 TND 10.85

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

38.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 TND 19.43

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

-15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 TND 3.82

$1.05 UGX 3,960

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TND 3.80

$2.08 UGX 7,869

-37.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TND 1.29

$0.78 UGX 2,932

-42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.31 TND 41.39

$45.89 UGX 173.3K

-68.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.85

$0.55 UGX 2,071

-45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$0.32 UGX 1,208

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 TND 5.47

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

-41.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.61

$1.40 UGX 5,299

-35.71%

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

$41.1K TND 119.0K

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

417.77%

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

$36.7K TND 106.0K

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

361.13%

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

$47.11 TND 136

$75.2 UGX 284.1K

-37.37%

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

$8.59 TND 24.84

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

-30.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.79 TND 60.1

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

-44.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 TND 95.2

$59.3 UGX 224.1K

-44.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.55 TND 39.19

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

110.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 TND 14.71

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

-36.53%

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

$114 TND 330

$256 UGX 965.3K

-55.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,928 TND 11.4K

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

-53.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TND 148

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

239.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 TND 193

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

391.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 TND 324

$34.02 UGX 128.5K

229.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 TND 176

$46.25 UGX 174.7K

31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 TND 632

$517 UGX 2.0M

-57.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 TND 474

$182 UGX 687.5K

-10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 TND 631

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

-80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 TND 837

$327 UGX 1.2M

-11.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$989 TND 2,861

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

-18.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 TND 1,875

$987 UGX 3.7M

-34.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 803

$188 UGX 709.3K

47.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

20.75

-50.46%

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

Last update for Carthage: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Carthage and $517 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carthage pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Carthage vs $27.00 in Kampala. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $154, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($725 vs $729 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Carthage, 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: $219 in Carthage versus $517 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kampala pay roughly 28% 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 $22.00 versus $27.00 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 1% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.