Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Busia

For one person, living is cheaper in Busia: $71.7 a month against $669 in Kampala, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Kampala
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Kampala Living Index

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Kampala

🇺🇬 Uganda

$669

/mo nomad

Busia

🇺🇬 Uganda

$71.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Busia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $669 in Kampala versus $71.7 in Busia.

Kampala $669
Busia $71.7

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,022 in Kampala versus $118 in Busia.

Kampala $1,022
Busia $118

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,376 in Kampala versus $164 in Busia.

Kampala $1,376
Busia $164

Living in Kampala is roughly 833% more expensive than in Busia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 50% lower, Busia 95% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 UGX 9,669

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.24 UGX 99.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 UGX 30.1K

Cappuccino

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

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

$0.35 UGX 1,433

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UGX 1,021

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 UGX 4,891

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 UGX 7,359

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 UGX 3,004

$0.31 UGX 1,286

135.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 UGX 3,709

$1.23 UGX 5,054

-26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,514

Eggs

$1.60 UGX 6,596

$1.45 UGX 5,984

10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 UGX 17.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 UGX 18.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.84 UGX 19.9K

$3.68 UGX 15.1K

31.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 UGX 8,718

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

-14.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 UGX 5,238

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 UGX 5,197

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,766

$0.72 UGX 2,945

61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 5,103

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 UGX 4,846

$1.51 UGX 6,222

-21.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,197

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 2,145

$0.24 UGX 986

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 UGX 9,746

$1.11 UGX 4,549

113.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 UGX 30.4K

$5.11 UGX 21.0K

44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 UGX 4,416

$0.98 UGX 4,024

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 UGX 7,485

$1.22 UGX 5,009

49.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 UGX 2,954

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.77 UGX 171.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 UGX 1,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 UGX 1,182

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 UGX 12.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,746

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

$7,189 UGX 29.6M

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

$7,180 UGX 29.5M

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

$69.3 UGX 285.0K

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

$11.61 UGX 47.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.60 UGX 138.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 UGX 222.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 UGX 24.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 UGX 29.2K

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

$248 UGX 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 UGX 34.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.54 UGX 55.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.51 UGX 51.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.32 UGX 128.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.57 UGX 175.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 UGX 2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 UGX 679.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 UGX 4.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 UGX 1.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,217 UGX 5.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$948 UGX 3.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 UGX 709.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

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

Last update for Kampala: October 11, 2026

Last update for Busia: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kampala

$165 24.7%

Busia

–

Groceries & Markets

Kampala

$147 22%

Busia

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kampala

$115 17.1%

Busia

–

Eating Out

Kampala

$82 12.3%

Busia

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kampala

$68 10.2%

Busia

–

Getting Around

Kampala

$47 7%

Busia

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kampala

$45 6.7%

Busia

–

Good to know

🇺🇬 Kampala

🇺🇬 Busia

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

Same time as Kampala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,516,210 Capital

64,900

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Kampala Busia 170 km

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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 Busia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 833% lower than in Kampala. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,003 in Kampala and $108 in Busia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Kampala. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $669 per month in Kampala versus $71.7 in Busia – a 833% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Busia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Busia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 833% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.