Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Belgrade

For one person, living is cheaper in Kampala: $674 a month against $1,538 in Belgrade, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kampala
🇺🇬 Uganda
$674
/mo nomad
Belgrade
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,538
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Belgrade

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

A single person spends $674 per month in Kampala vs $1,538 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Kampala $674
  • Belgrade $1,538

A couple spends around $1,045 per month in Kampala vs $2,321 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Kampala $1,045
  • Belgrade $2,321

A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Kampala vs $3,105 in Belgrade, rent included.

  • Kampala $1,417
  • Belgrade $3,105

Kampala is about 56% cheaper than Belgrade, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Kampala sits 50% below the global median, while Belgrade is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.54 UGX 10.3K
$13.33 RSD 1,389
-80.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.10 UGX 101.5K
$58.4 RSD 6,085
-57.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.40 UGX 29.9K
$13.58 RSD 1,414
-45.51%
Cappuccino
$2.57 UGX 10.4K
$3.13 RSD 326
-17.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 UGX 1,543
$2.77 RSD 288
-86.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 UGX 1,044
$2.27 RSD 237
-88.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.21 UGX 4,910
$3.75 RSD 390
-67.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 UGX 7,748
$4.38 RSD 456
-56.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 UGX 3,069
$1.40 RSD 146
-45.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 UGX 3,832
$1.17 RSD 122
-18.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 UGX 5,360
$2.71 RSD 282
-50.92%
Eggs
$1.64 UGX 6,631
$2.78 RSD 289
-41.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.37 UGX 17.7K
$11.36 RSD 1,184
-61.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.60 UGX 18.6K
$7.01 RSD 731
-34.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.87 UGX 19.7K
$15.72 RSD 1,638
-69.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.19 UGX 8,869
$1.66 RSD 173
31.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 UGX 5,033
$1.81 RSD 188
-31.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.30 UGX 5,253
$1.83 RSD 190
-28.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.22 UGX 4,928
$3.13 RSD 326
-61.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 UGX 4,912
$0.88 RSD 91.3
37.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 UGX 5,061
$0.67 RSD 70.3
86.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 UGX 3,168
$0.81 RSD 84.4
-3.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 UGX 2,020
$0.68 RSD 70.9
-26.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.51 UGX 10.2K
$4.78 RSD 498
-47.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.54 UGX 30.5K
$8.54 RSD 889
-11.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 UGX 4,458
$0.94 RSD 97.7
17.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 UGX 7,880
$1.44 RSD 150
35.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 UGX 2,913
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.82 UGX 173.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 UGX 2,072
$3.09 RSD 322
-83.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.32 UGX 1,297
$1.02 RSD 107
-68.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 UGX 12.9K
$17.18 RSD 1,789
-81.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 UGX 5,866
$1.87 RSD 195
-22.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,493 UGX 30.3M
$30.7K RSD 3.2M
-75.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$7,453 UGX 30.1M
$24.3K RSD 2.5M
-69.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.9 UGX 287.0K
$218 RSD 22.7K
-67.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.85 UGX 47.9K
$25.24 RSD 2,629
-53.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.59 UGX 144.0K
$35.35 RSD 3,683
0.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 UGX 230.2K
$41.77 RSD 4,351
36.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.97 UGX 24.1K
$22.80 RSD 2,375
-73.82%
Cinema Ticket
$7.54 UGX 30.5K
$8.47 RSD 882
-10.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$254 UGX 1.0M
$426 RSD 44.4K
-40.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,231 UGX 33.3M
$11.4K RSD 1.2M
-27.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.16 UGX 57.3K
$111 RSD 11.6K
-87.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$13.02 UGX 52.7K
$45.99 RSD 4,791
-71.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$32.01 UGX 129.5K
$119 RSD 12.4K
-73.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$43.76 UGX 177.0K
$154 RSD 16.0K
-71.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$495 UGX 2.0M
$821 RSD 85.6K
-39.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$172 UGX 695.0K
$561 RSD 58.4K
-69.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 UGX 4.2M
$1,511 RSD 157.4K
-30.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$301 UGX 1.2M
$942 RSD 98.1K
-68.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,214 UGX 4.9M
$5,312 RSD 553.4K
-77.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$983 UGX 4.0M
$3,165 RSD 329.7K
-68.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kampala
Belgrade
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$176 UGX 712.8K
$1,228 RSD 127.9K
-85.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.75
4.61
350.11%

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

Last update for Kampala: October 5, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kampala
$172
Belgrade
$561 226% $389
Groceries & Markets
Kampala
$149
Belgrade
$246 65% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampala
$118
Belgrade
$278 135% $160
Eating Out
Kampala
$86
Belgrade
$233 171% $147
Sport & Entertainment
Kampala
$72
Belgrade
$59 18.4% $13
Getting Around
Kampala
$48
Belgrade
$8.2 * 82.8% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Kampala
$46
Belgrade
$194 318% $147

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Kampala versus $821 in Belgrade. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 597% higher in Belgrade, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kampala versus $58.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $246 – making Kampala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇬 Kampala
🇷🇸 Belgrade
🕒 Local time
04:37 4:37 AM
03:37 3:37 AM
1 h behind Kampala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,516,210 Capital
1,197,714 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,045 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.47 USD). 1 EUR = 4,537 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.2 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kampala Belgrade 5,090 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kampala
  • Belgrade

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
Kampala vs Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kampala and in Belgrade compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $674 in Kampala, $1,538 in Belgrade – roughly 128% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Kampala compared to Belgrade?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,011 per month in Kampala and $2,307 in Belgrade. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kampala and Belgrade?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kampala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kampala and $58.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 65% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kampala, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Belgrade at $1,538. In Kampala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Kampala or Belgrade?
Families tend to lean toward Kampala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kampala or Belgrade safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Kampala and Belgrade?
If budget matters most, go with Kampala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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