Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $406 per month in Fort Portal vs $694 in Kampala, rent included.

A couple spends around $635 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,069 in Kampala, rent included.

A family of three spends $864 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,445 in Kampala, rent included.

Fort Portal is about 42% cheaper than Kampala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Fort Portal and Kampala are more affordable than the global median – Fort Portal 70% lower, Kampala 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.67 UGX 10.5K

$2.60 UGX 10.2K

2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.03 UGX 102.5K

$26.01 UGX 102.4K

0.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 UGX 30.7K

$7.53 UGX 29.6K

3.72%

Cappuccino

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

$2.61 UGX 10.3K

1.15%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,538

$0.39 UGX 1,535

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,098

$0.26 UGX 1,016

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 UGX 5,251

$1.31 UGX 5,152

1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 UGX 7,346

$1.96 UGX 7,725

-4.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.31 UGX 1,208

$0.84 UGX 3,321

-63.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 UGX 2,990

$0.89 UGX 3,522

-14.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 UGX 4,253

$1.41 UGX 5,562

-23.40%

Eggs

$1.28 UGX 5,043

$1.62 UGX 6,375

-20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 UGX 18.4K

$4.55 UGX 17.9K

2.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

$4.69 UGX 18.5K

7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.39 UGX 13.4K

$5.00 UGX 19.7K

-32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 UGX 8,520

$2.21 UGX 8,687

-2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 UGX 2,998

$1.31 UGX 5,169

-41.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,485

$1.32 UGX 5,214

5.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 UGX 5,043

$1.25 UGX 4,909

2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,190

$1.19 UGX 4,667

10.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 UGX 2,686

$1.37 UGX 5,392

-50.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 UGX 3,308

$0.75 UGX 2,973

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 UGX 2,027

$0.55 UGX 2,148

-7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 UGX 10.4K

$2.62 UGX 10.3K

0.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 UGX 21.5K

$7.78 UGX 30.6K

-29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 UGX 3,052

$1.07 UGX 4,222

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 UGX 4,097

$1.95 UGX 7,667

-46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 3,122

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.75 UGX 172.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 UGX 2,187

$0.52 UGX 2,064

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 UGX 1,341

$0.31 UGX 1,207

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 UGX 12.7K

$3.21 UGX 12.6K

0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 UGX 5,325

$1.37 UGX 5,403

-1.46%

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

$7,827 UGX 30.8M

$7,649 UGX 30.1M

2.32%

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

$8,091 UGX 31.9M

$7,693 UGX 30.3M

5.17%

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

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

$72.5 UGX 285.4K

4.72%

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

$12.40 UGX 48.8K

$11.82 UGX 46.6K

4.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.36 UGX 147.1K

$36.46 UGX 143.6K

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 UGX 225.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 UGX 23.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 UGX 31.9K

$7.65 UGX 30.1K

5.88%

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

$263 UGX 1.0M

$259 UGX 1.0M

1.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,692 UGX 34.2M

$8,404 UGX 33.1M

3.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.15 UGX 59.6K

$14.19 UGX 55.9K

6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.11 UGX 55.6K

$13.67 UGX 53.8K

3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.19 UGX 134.6K

$33.15 UGX 130.6K

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.35 UGX 182.5K

$45.85 UGX 180.6K

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 UGX 2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 UGX 684.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 UGX 4.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 UGX 1.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 UGX 4.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 UGX 3.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 UGX 720.9K

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 Fort Portal: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kampala: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Fort Portal versus $26.00 in Kampala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $153 – making Fort Portal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Fort Portal vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala costs about 71% more than Fort Portal, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $609 per month in Fort Portal and $1,041 in Kampala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Fort Portal and $26.00 in Kampala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Kampala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $406 in Fort Portal and $694 in Kampala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Fort Portal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Portal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kampala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.