Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $729 in Kampala versus $970 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Kampala versus $1,500 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,478 in Kampala versus $2,030 in Bishkek.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 25% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 47% lower, Bishkek 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.59 UGX 9,787

$6.79 KGS 593

-61.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

$28.78 KGS 2,516

-7.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

$5.81 KGS 508

32.19%

Cappuccino

$2.63 UGX 9,930

$2.49 KGS 217

5.62%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,475

$0.75 KGS 65.6

-48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 UGX 1,151

$0.38 KGS 32.86

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 UGX 4,844

$1.40 KGS 123

-8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UGX 7,193

$1.90 KGS 166

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 UGX 3,154

$1.04 KGS 90.6

-20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 UGX 3,684

$0.42 KGS 36.62

130.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,262

$1.73 KGS 151

-19.65%

Eggs

$1.56 UGX 5,912

$1.70 KGS 149

-8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

$7.45 KGS 651

-36.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

$4.71 KGS 412

2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

$8.56 KGS 748

-40.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 UGX 7,809

$1.41 KGS 123

46.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,385

$1.79 KGS 157

-35.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,236

$2.02 KGS 177

-31.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,709

$1.55 KGS 135

-19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 UGX 4,786

$0.59 KGS 51.2

115.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,060

$0.47 KGS 41.52

185.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 UGX 3,112

$0.74 KGS 65.1

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 1,969

$0.58 KGS 50.7

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

$2.02 KGS 176

34.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

$9.27 KGS 811

-13.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 UGX 3,961

$1.38 KGS 121

-23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 UGX 7,872

$2.00 KGS 175

4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 UGX 2,933

$0.24 KGS 21.05

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.89 UGX 173.4K

$11.50 KGS 1,005

299.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,071

$0.83 KGS 72.8

-33.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,209

$0.48 KGS 41.87

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

$5.62 KGS 491

-42.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,301

$0.96 KGS 83.9

45.83%

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

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

-73.57%

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

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

-75.72%

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

$75.2 UGX 284.2K

$50.6 KGS 4,425

48.63%

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

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

$5.81 KGS 508

111.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

$12.03 KGS 1,052

209.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 UGX 224.2K

$54.3 KGS 4,748

9.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

$14.55 KGS 1,272

-55.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

$5.62 KGS 492

42.70%

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

$256 UGX 965.6K

$221 KGS 19.3K

15.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

10.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

$55.7 KGS 4,871

-72.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

$43.80 KGS 3,830

-68.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.02 UGX 128.6K

$91.7 KGS 8,018

-62.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.25 UGX 174.8K

$91.5 KGS 7,998

-49.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 UGX 2.0M

$580 KGS 50.7K

-10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 UGX 687.7K

$416 KGS 36.3K

-56.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

6.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 UGX 1.2M

$717 KGS 62.7K

-54.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

-31.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$987 UGX 3.7M

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

-17.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 UGX 709.5K

$502 KGS 43.9K

-62.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

20.22

2.62%

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

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Kampala and $580 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 167% 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: $27.00 in Kampala vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $154 vs $176 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

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 & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 167% 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: $517 in Kampala versus $580 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $256 in Kampala versus $221 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $729 in Kampala versus $970 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 33% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.