Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iganga and Kampala

For one person, living is cheaper in Iganga: $414 a month against $669 in Kampala, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Iganga
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Iganga Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Kampala
Learn more

Kampala Living Index

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Iganga

🇺🇬 Uganda

$414

/mo nomad

Kampala

🇺🇬 Uganda

$669

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iganga 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 Iganga and in Kampala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $414 in Iganga versus $669 in Kampala.

Iganga $414
Kampala $669

Estimated couple costs with rent: $653 in Iganga versus $1,022 in Kampala.

Iganga $653
Kampala $1,022

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $893 in Iganga versus $1,376 in Kampala.

Iganga $893
Kampala $1,376

Living in Iganga costs roughly 38% less than in Kampala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iganga 69% lower, Kampala 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 UGX 10.5K

$2.35 UGX 9,669

8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 UGX 101.9K

$24.24 UGX 99.7K

2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 UGX 30.1K

Cappuccino

$2.51 UGX 10.3K

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

1.21%

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

$0.36 UGX 1,466

$0.35 UGX 1,433

2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,152

$0.25 UGX 1,021

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 UGX 5,197

$1.19 UGX 4,891

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 UGX 7,541

$1.79 UGX 7,359

2.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 UGX 3,152

$0.73 UGX 3,004

5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 UGX 3,836

$0.90 UGX 3,709

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,445

$1.34 UGX 5,514

-1.49%

Eggs

$1.64 UGX 6,735

$1.60 UGX 6,596

2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 UGX 18.3K

$4.36 UGX 17.9K

2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 UGX 19.3K

$4.58 UGX 18.8K

2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 UGX 20.2K

$4.84 UGX 19.9K

1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 UGX 8,932

$2.12 UGX 8,718

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 5,115

$1.27 UGX 5,238

-2.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,439

$1.26 UGX 5,197

4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 UGX 4,878

$1.16 UGX 4,766

2.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 UGX 5,164

$1.24 UGX 5,103

1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 UGX 4,999

$1.18 UGX 4,846

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 UGX 3,110

$0.78 UGX 3,197

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 UGX 2,006

$0.52 UGX 2,145

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 UGX 9,952

$2.37 UGX 9,746

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 UGX 29.8K

$7.39 UGX 30.4K

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 UGX 4,415

$1.07 UGX 4,416

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 UGX 7,769

$1.82 UGX 7,485

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 UGX 2,954

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.77 UGX 171.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 2,152

$0.46 UGX 1,912

13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 UGX 1,217

$0.29 UGX 1,182

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 UGX 13.1K

$3.09 UGX 12.7K

2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 UGX 5,933

$1.40 UGX 5,746

2.86%

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

$7,512 UGX 30.9M

$7,189 UGX 29.6M

4.49%

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

$7,508 UGX 30.9M

$7,180 UGX 29.5M

4.57%

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

$70.6 UGX 290.3K

$69.3 UGX 285.0K

1.83%

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

$11.59 UGX 47.7K

$11.61 UGX 47.8K

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.96 UGX 143.8K

$33.60 UGX 138.2K

4.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 UGX 222.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 UGX 24.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.25 UGX 29.8K

$7.10 UGX 29.2K

2.11%

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

$253 UGX 1.0M

$248 UGX 1.0M

2.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,336 UGX 34.3M

$8,313 UGX 34.2M

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.28 UGX 58.7K

$13.54 UGX 55.7K

5.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.01 UGX 53.5K

$12.51 UGX 51.5K

4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.05 UGX 131.8K

$31.32 UGX 128.8K

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.91 UGX 180.6K

$42.57 UGX 175.1K

3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 UGX 2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 UGX 679.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 UGX 4.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 UGX 1.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,217 UGX 5.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$948 UGX 3.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 UGX 709.9K

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 Iganga: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kampala: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Iganga

$149 35.9%

Kampala

$147 22% 1.2% $1.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iganga

$117 28.3%

Kampala

$115 17.1% 2.2% $2.6

Eating Out

Iganga

$85 20.5%

Kampala

$82 12.3% 2.9% $2.5

Clothing & Footwear

Iganga

$46 11.2%

Kampala

$45 6.7% 3.2% $1.5

Sport & Entertainment

Iganga

$15 * 3.5%

Kampala

$68 10.2% 372% $54

Getting Around

Iganga

$2 * 0.5%

Kampala

$47 7% 2228% $45

Accommodation & Living

Iganga

- * 0%

Kampala

$165 24.7%

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Iganga vs $24.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $147 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇬 Iganga

🇺🇬 Kampala

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

Same time as Iganga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

65,500

1,516,210 Capital

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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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

Iganga vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iganga is cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $621 in Iganga and $1,003 in Kampala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $253 in Iganga versus $248 in Kampala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iganga – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $24.00 in Kampala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Iganga 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.

Safety-wise, Iganga and Kampala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iganga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.