Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Carthage Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Carthage

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $753 in Kampala versus $629 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Kampala versus $1,053 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Kampala versus $1,476 in Carthage.

Living in Kampala is roughly 20% more expensive than in Carthage, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Carthage 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$5.05 TND 14.31

-45.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

$25.25 TND 71.5

6.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

$5.06 TND 14.34

73.32%

Cappuccino

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$1.07 TND 3.04

156.07%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,742

$0.71 TND 2.02

-33.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,153

$0.26 TND 0.73

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,041

$1.72 TND 4.88

-20.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$1.97 TND 5.59

43.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,617

$0.47 TND 1.32

51.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,629

$0.20 TND 0.55

525.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,944

$1.70 TND 4.83

-21.18%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,501

$1.64 TND 4.65

7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

$10.64 TND 30.15

-59.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

$6.03 TND 17.10

-19.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

$14.54 TND 41.19

-70.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$2.01 TND 5.70

35.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 UGX 5,598

$3.40 TND 9.63

-55.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,126

$1.12 TND 3.19

48.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,827

$0.73 TND 2.08

116.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,073

$0.75 TND 2.12

118.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UGX 7,194

$0.65 TND 1.84

198.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,955

$0.43 TND 1.22

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,973

$0.29 TND 0.81

82.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

$3.43 TND 9.71

-13.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

$6.88 TND 19.51

25.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,351

$1.35 TND 3.82

-12.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 UGX 7,816

$1.26 TND 3.56

67.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 2,937

$0.33 TND 0.92

139.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

$7.39 TND 20.93

459.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,029

$0.32 TND 0.91

71.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,037

$0.33 TND 0.94

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

$3.41 TND 9.65

24.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,285

$0.82 TND 2.32

74.39%

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

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

$41.4K TND 117.2K

-78.46%

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

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

$36.0K TND 102.0K

-76.07%

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

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

$45.15 TND 128

-6.00%

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

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

$9.42 TND 26.68

54.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

$18.30 TND 51.9

135.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

$37.88 TND 107

28.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

$13.32 TND 37.74

-44.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

$5.17 TND 14.64

18.96%

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

$164 UGX 605.5K

$109 TND 309

50.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

$3,309 TND 9,377

28.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

$46.19 TND 131

-62.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

$60.2 TND 171

-75.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

$97.3 TND 276

-60.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

$65.7 TND 186

-29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 UGX 1.5M

$168 TND 475

140.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 UGX 831.5K

$101 TND 287

122.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 UGX 3.6M

$304 TND 862

224.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 UGX 1.2M

$239 TND 676

41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

$957 TND 2,712

30.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

$626 TND 1,773

59.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 UGX 710.4K

$270 TND 764

-28.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

10.96

89.78%

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

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Carthage: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Kampala and $168 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carthage pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Kampala vs $25.00 in Carthage. Groceries flip the comparison at $166 vs $196, 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 Carthage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala and Carthage differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($753 vs $629 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Carthage. 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 $168 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kampala pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $27.00 in Kampala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Carthage 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 Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.