Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gulu and Fort Portal

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $110 a month against $364 in Fort Portal, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in Fort Portal
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Fort Portal Living Index

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Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$110

/mo nomad

Fort Portal

🇺🇬 Uganda

$364

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $110 per month in Gulu vs $364 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Gulu $110
Fort Portal $364

A couple spends around $160 per month in Gulu vs $574 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Gulu $160
Fort Portal $574

A family of three spends $211 per month in Gulu vs $783 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Gulu $211
Fort Portal $783

Gulu is about 70% cheaper than Fort Portal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Gulu and Fort Portal are more affordable than the global median – Gulu 92% lower, Fort Portal 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.15 UGX 4,864

$2.37 UGX 9,990

-51.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.66 UGX 99.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 UGX 44.1K

$6.93 UGX 29.2K

50.79%

Cappuccino

$2.29 UGX 9,676

$2.46 UGX 10.4K

-6.91%

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

$0.24 UGX 1,018

$0.37 UGX 1,545

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 UGX 576

$0.24 UGX 1,004

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 UGX 2,889

$1.20 UGX 5,049

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 UGX 9,701

$1.72 UGX 7,235

33.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.27 UGX 1,126

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 UGX 2,850

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 UGX 3,795

Eggs

$1.15 UGX 4,835

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.12 UGX 17.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 UGX 17.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.12 UGX 13.2K

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 UGX 8,246

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 UGX 2,996

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 UGX 5,052

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 UGX 4,786

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 UGX 5,075

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 UGX 2,386

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 UGX 3,081

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 UGX 2,046

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 UGX 9,700

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 UGX 19.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 UGX 2,848

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 UGX 3,914

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 UGX 3,885

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.25 UGX 119.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 UGX 2,065

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,165

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 UGX 12.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 UGX 5,055

$1.16 UGX 4,905

3.45%

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

$6,927 UGX 29.2M

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

$6,921 UGX 29.2M

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

$66.9 UGX 282.2K

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

$11.00 UGX 46.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.84 UGX 138.5K

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 UGX 30.2K

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

$267 UGX 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K UGX 67.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.23 UGX 55.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.29 UGX 51.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.84 UGX 130.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 UGX 172.7K

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 Gulu: November 1, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Gulu

–

Fort Portal

$112 30.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gulu

–

Fort Portal

$111 30.4%

Eating Out

Gulu

–

Fort Portal

$81 22.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Gulu

–

Fort Portal

$44 12%

Sport & Entertainment

Gulu

–

Fort Portal

$14 * 3.9%

Getting Around

Gulu

–

Fort Portal

$1.9 * 0.5%

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

Good to know

🇺🇬 Gulu

🇺🇬 Fort Portal

🕒 Local time

14:05 2:05 PM

Same time as Gulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,276

54,275

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Gulu Fort Portal 330 km

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Gulu
Fort Portal

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

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

Fort Portal costs about 232% more than Gulu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $164 per month in Gulu and $546 in Fort Portal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $110 in Gulu and $364 in Fort Portal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Fort Portal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $110 in Gulu to $364 in Fort Portal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.