Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Kampala

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Portal: $364 a month against $643 in Kampala, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fort Portal, Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
Fort Portal
🇺🇬 Uganda
$364
/mo nomad
Kampala
🇺🇬 Uganda
$643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fort Portal and in Kampala

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

A single person spends $364 per month in Fort Portal vs $643 in Kampala, rent included.

  • Fort Portal $364
  • Kampala $643

A couple spends around $574 per month in Fort Portal vs $981 in Kampala, rent included.

  • Fort Portal $574
  • Kampala $981

A family of three spends $783 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,320 in Kampala, rent included.

  • Fort Portal $783
  • Kampala $1,320

Fort Portal is about 43% cheaper than Kampala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Fort Portal and Kampala are more affordable than the global median – Fort Portal 73% lower, Kampala 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.37 UGX 9,990
$2.36 UGX 9,965
0.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.66 UGX 99.8K
$23.23 UGX 98.0K
1.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.93 UGX 29.2K
$7.17 UGX 30.2K
-3.35%
Cappuccino
$2.46 UGX 10.4K
$2.49 UGX 10.5K
-1.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 UGX 1,545
$0.37 UGX 1,548
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 UGX 1,004
$0.24 UGX 1,011
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.20 UGX 5,049
$1.18 UGX 4,983
1.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 UGX 7,235
$1.78 UGX 7,523
-3.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.27 UGX 1,126
$0.76 UGX 3,226
-64.47%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 UGX 2,850
$0.86 UGX 3,624
-20.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.90 UGX 3,795
$1.26 UGX 5,319
-28.57%
Eggs
$1.15 UGX 4,835
$1.38 UGX 5,807
-16.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.12 UGX 17.4K
$4.11 UGX 17.4K
0.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.14 UGX 17.5K
$4.12 UGX 17.4K
0.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.12 UGX 13.2K
$4.62 UGX 19.5K
-32.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 UGX 8,246
$2.06 UGX 8,668
-4.85%
Banana (1kg)
$0.71 UGX 2,996
$1.40 UGX 5,912
-49.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.20 UGX 5,052
$1.25 UGX 5,264
-4.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.13 UGX 4,786
$1.20 UGX 5,061
-5.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 UGX 5,075
$1.20 UGX 5,045
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.57 UGX 2,386
$1.24 UGX 5,229
-54.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 UGX 3,081
$0.71 UGX 2,984
2.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 UGX 2,046
$0.50 UGX 2,094
-2.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 UGX 9,700
$2.30 UGX 9,704
-
Wine (Bottle)
$4.57 UGX 19.3K
$7.19 UGX 30.3K
-36.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 UGX 2,848
$1.01 UGX 4,254
-32.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 UGX 3,914
$1.84 UGX 7,762
-49.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.72 UGX 3,049
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$37.73 UGX 159.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 UGX 2,065
$0.49 UGX 2,058
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 UGX 1,165
$0.30 UGX 1,276
-6.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.89 UGX 12.2K
$2.94 UGX 12.4K
-1.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 UGX 4,905
$1.41 UGX 5,962
-17.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$6,927 UGX 29.2M
$6,948 UGX 29.3M
-0.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$6,921 UGX 29.2M
$7,038 UGX 29.7M
-1.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$66.9 UGX 282.2K
$64.9 UGX 273.7K
3.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.00 UGX 46.4K
$11.26 UGX 47.5K
-2.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.84 UGX 138.5K
$33.28 UGX 140.3K
-1.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$51.9 UGX 218.8K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$5.66 UGX 23.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.16 UGX 30.2K
$7.05 UGX 29.7K
1.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$267 UGX 1.1M
$262 UGX 1.1M
2.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K UGX 67.9M
$15.6K UGX 65.9M
3.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.23 UGX 55.8K
$13.27 UGX 56.0K
-0.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.29 UGX 51.8K
$12.05 UGX 50.8K
1.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$30.84 UGX 130.1K
$30.16 UGX 127.2K
2.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.94 UGX 172.7K
$41.28 UGX 174.1K
-0.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$460 UGX 1.9M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$158 UGX 665.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,198 UGX 5.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$281 UGX 1.2M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 UGX 5.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$938 UGX 4.0M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fort Portal
Kampala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$169 UGX 711.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.75
20.75
-

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

Last update for Fort Portal: November 3, 2026

Last update for Kampala: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Fort Portal
$112
Kampala
$141 25.6% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Portal
$111
Kampala
$109 1.2% $1.3
Eating Out
Fort Portal
$81
Kampala
$82 1.4% $1.1
Clothing & Footwear
Fort Portal
$44
Kampala
$44 0.5% $0.2
Sport & Entertainment
Fort Portal
$14 *
Kampala
$66 361% $52
Getting Around
Fort Portal
$1.9 *
Kampala
$43 2179% $41
Accommodation & Living
Fort Portal
- *
Kampala
$158

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Fort Portal versus $23 in Kampala. Groceries tell a different story – $112 in Fort Portal vs $141 in Kampala – so Fort Portal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇬 Fort Portal
🇺🇬 Kampala
🕒 Local time
10:50 10:50 AM
10:50 10:50 AM
Same time as Fort Portal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,275
1,516,210 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4,217 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD). 1 EUR = 4,739 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fort Portal Kampala 260 km
From you
  • Fort Portal
  • Kampala

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
Fort Portal vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fort Portal or Kampala?
Kampala costs about 77% more than Fort Portal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Fort Portal and in Kampala?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $546 per month in Fort Portal and $964 in Kampala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Fort Portal and in Kampala?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Fort Portal and $23 in Kampala. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Fort Portal or in Kampala?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Kampala, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Fort Portal or in Kampala?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $364 in Fort Portal and $643 in Kampala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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