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: $753 in Kampala versus $901 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Kampala versus $1,378 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Kampala versus $1,855 in Bishkek.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 16% 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

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$6.44 KGS 563

-57.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

$21.10 KGS 1,844

27.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

$5.69 KGS 498

54.13%

Cappuccino

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$2.07 KGS 181

32.37%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,742

$0.63 KGS 55.4

-25.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,153

$0.36 KGS 31.14

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,041

$1.22 KGS 106

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$1.71 KGS 149

64.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,617

$0.96 KGS 84.3

-26.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,629

$0.50 KGS 43.37

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,944

$1.57 KGS 137

-14.65%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,501

$1.73 KGS 152

1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

$8.20 KGS 717

-47.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

$4.84 KGS 423

0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

$7.93 KGS 693

-46.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$1.12 KGS 98.1

143.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 UGX 5,598

$1.94 KGS 170

-22.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,126

$2.11 KGS 185

-21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,827

$1.72 KGS 150

-8.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,073

$0.55 KGS 48.44

198.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UGX 7,194

$0.50 KGS 43.48

288.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,955

$0.55 KGS 48.27

94.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,973

$0.47 KGS 41.53

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

$1.76 KGS 154

67.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

$8.18 KGS 715

5.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,351

$1.15 KGS 100

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 UGX 7,816

$1.89 KGS 166

11.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 2,937

$0.22 KGS 19.21

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

$11.45 KGS 1,001

261.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,029

$1.41 KGS 123

-60.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,037

$0.24 KGS 21.00

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

$3.34 KGS 292

26.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,285

$0.85 KGS 74.5

68.24%

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

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

-76.06%

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

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-74.32%

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

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

$34.63 KGS 3,027

22.55%

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

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

$6.76 KGS 591

114.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

$11.94 KGS 1,044

260.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

$42.67 KGS 3,730

14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

$15.96 KGS 1,395

-53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

$4.49 KGS 393

36.97%

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

$164 UGX 605.5K

$200 KGS 17.5K

-18.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

-6.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

$37.74 KGS 3,300

-54.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

$40.29 KGS 3,522

-64.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

$96.0 KGS 8,395

-60.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

$104 KGS 9,128

-55.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 UGX 1.5M

$498 KGS 43.5K

-19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 UGX 831.5K

$370 KGS 32.4K

-39.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 UGX 3.6M

$922 KGS 80.6K

7.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 UGX 1.2M

$633 KGS 55.3K

-46.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

-29.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

-14.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 UGX 710.4K

$490 KGS 42.9K

-60.83%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Kampala and $498 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 155% 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 $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $166 vs $171, 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, salaries run 155% 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: $402 in Kampala versus $498 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $164 in Kampala versus $200 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $753 in Kampala versus $901 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.