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: $747 in Kampala versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Kampala versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Kampala versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 17% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

$6.20 KGS 542

-54.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

$21.18 KGS 1,852

23.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

$5.81 KGS 508

44.41%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

$2.11 KGS 184

36.02%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,914

$0.67 KGS 58.7

-23.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,178

$0.33 KGS 28.67

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,142

$1.17 KGS 103

17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$1.68 KGS 147

61.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 UGX 2,797

$0.87 KGS 76.5

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,690

$0.50 KGS 43.39

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,045

$1.62 KGS 142

-17.28%

Eggs

$1.82 UGX 6,849

$1.72 KGS 150

5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$7.96 KGS 696

-46.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

$4.94 KGS 432

-0.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

$8.08 KGS 707

-48.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$1.08 KGS 94.4

152.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,496

$1.90 KGS 166

-23.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,219

$2.09 KGS 183

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,746

$1.71 KGS 150

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 UGX 6,121

$0.55 KGS 47.85

196.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,172

$0.53 KGS 46.67

260.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,841

$0.59 KGS 52.0

72.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,013

$0.47 KGS 41.46

14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

$1.69 KGS 147

71.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

$7.98 KGS 698

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,665

$1.20 KGS 105

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UGX 8,053

$1.88 KGS 164

13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 UGX 3,248

$0.24 KGS 21.03

258.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

$11.77 KGS 1,029

251.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,162

$1.39 KGS 122

-58.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 972

$0.24 KGS 21.08

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$3.53 KGS 308

17.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,478

$0.83 KGS 72.6

75.90%

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

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

-76.43%

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

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

-74.68%

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

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

$34.27 KGS 2,996

21.77%

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

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

$6.76 KGS 591

108.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

$11.77 KGS 1,029

272.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

$41.99 KGS 3,671

15.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

$15.78 KGS 1,380

-52.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

$4.53 KGS 396

37.97%

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

$161 UGX 603.6K

$196 KGS 17.2K

-18.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

-3.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

$37.04 KGS 3,238

-53.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

$40.11 KGS 3,507

-64.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

$94.8 KGS 8,291

-58.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

$102 KGS 8,901

-53.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 UGX 1.5M

$486 KGS 42.5K

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 UGX 822.4K

$370 KGS 32.3K

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 UGX 3.7M

$916 KGS 80.1K

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 UGX 1.3M

$626 KGS 54.7K

-44.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

-25.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 UGX 3.7M

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

-15.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 UGX 717.4K

$479 KGS 41.8K

-60.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

20.2

2.97%

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

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Kampala and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 151% 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: $26.00 in Kampala vs $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $166 vs $170, with Kampala cheaper for home cooking.

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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bishkek earns 151% less. 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: $395 in Kampala versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $161 in Kampala versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $747 in Kampala versus $898 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 20% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.