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: $629 in Carthage versus $753 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,053 in Carthage versus $1,118 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,476 in Carthage versus $1,483 in Kampala.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 17% less than in Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 53% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.31

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

84.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 TND 71.5

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

-6.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.34

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

-42.30%

Cappuccino

$1.07 TND 3.04

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

-60.95%

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

$0.71 TND 2.02

$0.47 UGX 1,742

51.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.73

$0.31 UGX 1,153

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.88

$1.36 UGX 5,041

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.59

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

-30.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.47 TND 1.32

$0.71 UGX 2,617

-33.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.55

$1.25 UGX 4,629

-84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.83

$1.34 UGX 4,944

26.87%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.65

$1.76 UGX 6,501

-6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 TND 30.15

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

145.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TND 17.10

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

23.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TND 41.19

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

243.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.70

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-26.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.40 TND 9.63

$1.51 UGX 5,598

125.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.19

$1.66 UGX 6,126

-32.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.08

$1.58 UGX 5,827

-53.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.12

$1.64 UGX 6,073

-54.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.84

$1.94 UGX 7,194

-66.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.22

$1.07 UGX 3,955

-59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.81

$0.53 UGX 1,973

-45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.71

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

16.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 TND 19.51

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

-20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TND 3.82

$1.18 UGX 4,351

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.56

$2.11 UGX 7,816

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.92

$0.79 UGX 2,937

-58.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 TND 20.93

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

-82.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.91

$0.55 UGX 2,029

-41.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$0.28 UGX 1,037

17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 TND 9.65

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

-19.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.32

$1.43 UGX 5,285

-42.66%

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

$41.4K TND 117.2K

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

364.20%

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

$36.0K TND 102.0K

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

317.83%

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

$45.15 TND 128

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

6.39%

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

$9.42 TND 26.68

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

-35.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 TND 51.9

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

-57.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 TND 107

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

-22.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.32 TND 37.74

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

79.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 TND 14.64

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

-15.93%

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

$109 TND 309

$164 UGX 605.5K

-33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 TND 9,377

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

-22.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 TND 131

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

166.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 TND 171

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

315.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 TND 276

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

155.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TND 186

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

42.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 475

$402 UGX 1.5M

-58.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TND 287

$225 UGX 831.5K

-55.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 TND 862

$987 UGX 3.6M

-69.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 676

$337 UGX 1.2M

-29.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 TND 2,712

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

-23.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 TND 1,773

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

-37.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 TND 764

$192 UGX 710.4K

40.32%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $402 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carthage pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Carthage vs $27.00 in Kampala. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 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 20% in total monthly costs ($629 vs $753 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% 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: $168 in Carthage versus $402 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kampala pay roughly 18% 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 $25.00 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 20% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.