Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Bishkek

For one person, living is cheaper in Kampala: $669 a month against $980 in Bishkek, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Kampala
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Kampala Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Bishkek
Learn more

Bishkek Living Index

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Kampala

🇺🇬 Uganda

$669

/mo nomad

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$980

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Bishkek

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 Bishkek actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $669 in Kampala versus $980 in Bishkek.

Kampala $669
Bishkek $980

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,022 in Kampala versus $1,503 in Bishkek.

Kampala $1,022
Bishkek $1,503

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,376 in Kampala versus $2,026 in Bishkek.

Kampala $1,376
Bishkek $2,026

Living in Kampala costs roughly 32% less than in Bishkek, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 50% lower, Bishkek 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 UGX 9,669

$7.02 KGS 614

-66.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 UGX 99.7K

$28.73 KGS 2,513

-15.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 UGX 30.1K

$5.73 KGS 501

27.75%

Cappuccino

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

$2.40 KGS 210

3.33%

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

$0.35 UGX 1,433

$0.75 KGS 66.0

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UGX 1,021

$0.40 KGS 35.19

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 UGX 4,891

$1.41 KGS 123

-15.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 UGX 7,359

$1.89 KGS 165

-5.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 UGX 3,004

$1.03 KGS 90.1

-29.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 UGX 3,709

$0.38 KGS 33.63

136.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,514

$1.64 KGS 144

-18.29%

Eggs

$1.60 UGX 6,596

$1.77 KGS 155

-9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 UGX 17.9K

$7.70 KGS 674

-43.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 UGX 18.8K

$4.51 KGS 395

1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.84 UGX 19.9K

$9.00 KGS 787

-46.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 UGX 8,718

$1.36 KGS 119

55.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 UGX 5,238

$1.88 KGS 165

-32.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 UGX 5,197

$2.01 KGS 176

-37.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,766

$1.53 KGS 134

-24.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 5,103

$0.58 KGS 50.8

113.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 UGX 4,846

$0.48 KGS 41.73

145.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,197

$0.70 KGS 61.2

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 2,145

$0.61 KGS 53.8

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 UGX 9,746

$2.02 KGS 177

17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 UGX 30.4K

$9.18 KGS 803

-19.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 UGX 4,416

$1.42 KGS 124

-24.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 UGX 7,485

$2.01 KGS 176

-9.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 UGX 2,954

$0.22 KGS 19.13

227.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.77 UGX 171.8K

$11.78 KGS 1,031

254.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 UGX 1,912

$0.87 KGS 76.4

-47.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 UGX 1,182

$0.47 KGS 41.43

-38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 UGX 12.7K

$5.65 KGS 494

-45.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,746

$1.02 KGS 89.4

37.25%

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

$7,189 UGX 29.6M

$30.0K KGS 2.6M

-76.00%

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

$7,180 UGX 29.5M

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

-78.61%

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

$69.3 UGX 285.0K

$50.2 KGS 4,393

38.00%

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

$11.61 UGX 47.8K

$5.62 KGS 491

106.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.60 UGX 138.2K

$11.77 KGS 1,029

185.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 UGX 222.9K

$55.0 KGS 4,813

-1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 UGX 24.1K

$14.87 KGS 1,301

-60.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 UGX 29.2K

$5.68 KGS 497

25.00%

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

$248 UGX 1.0M

$222 KGS 19.4K

11.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 UGX 34.2M

$7,839 KGS 685.7K

6.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.54 UGX 55.7K

$55.4 KGS 4,843

-75.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.51 UGX 51.5K

$42.81 KGS 3,745

-70.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.32 UGX 128.8K

$89.6 KGS 7,841

-65.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.57 UGX 175.1K

$91.8 KGS 8,030

-53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 UGX 2.0M

$612 KGS 53.5K

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 UGX 679.4K

$410 KGS 35.8K

-59.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 UGX 4.2M

$1,041 KGS 91.1K

-0.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 UGX 1.2M

$708 KGS 62.0K

-58.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,217 UGX 5.0M

$1,803 KGS 157.7K

-32.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$948 UGX 3.9M

$1,224 KGS 107.0K

-22.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 UGX 709.9K

$514 KGS 45.0K

-66.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

20.1

3.23%

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

Last update for Kampala: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kampala

$165 24.7%

Bishkek

$410 41.8% 148% $245

Groceries & Markets

Kampala

$147 22%

Bishkek

$177 18% 20.2% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kampala

$115 17.1%

Bishkek

$68 6.9% 41% $47

Eating Out

Kampala

$82 12.3%

Bishkek

$118 12% 42.5% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Kampala

$68 10.2%

Bishkek

$66 6.8% 2.9% $2

Getting Around

Kampala

$47 7%

Bishkek

$16 1.6% 65.8% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Kampala

$45 6.7%

Bishkek

$126 12.8% 180% $81

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Kampala and $612 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 198% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kampala vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $177 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇬 Kampala

🇰🇬 Bishkek

🕒 Local time

06:25 6:25 AM

09:25 9:25 AM

3 h ahead of Kampala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,516,210 Capital

1,012,500 Capital

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KGS, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 87.48 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 98.35 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

USD to UGX in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kampala Bishkek 6,310 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Kampala
Bishkek

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 Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 198% lower in Bishkek. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Kampala versus $612 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $248 in Kampala versus $222 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $669 in Kampala versus $980 in Bishkek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bishkek, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kampala and Bishkek 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 Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.