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: $729 in Kampala versus $725 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Kampala versus $1,146 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,478 in Kampala versus $1,567 in Carthage.

Living in Kampala is roughly 1% more expensive than in Carthage, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.59 UGX 9,784

$4.56 TND 13.19

-43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

$22.03 TND 63.7

21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

$5.96 TND 17.23

28.86%

Cappuccino

$2.63 UGX 9,927

$1.06 TND 3.06

148.11%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,475

$0.80 TND 2.32

-51.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 UGX 1,150

$0.30 TND 0.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 UGX 4,843

$1.69 TND 4.88

-24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UGX 7,191

$2.12 TND 6.14

-10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 UGX 3,153

$0.51 TND 1.48

62.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 UGX 3,683

$0.25 TND 0.72

288.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,261

$1.81 TND 5.23

-23.20%

Eggs

$1.56 UGX 5,910

$1.70 TND 4.92

-8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

$10.42 TND 30.15

-54.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

$5.87 TND 16.97

-18.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

$14.80 TND 42.81

-65.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 UGX 7,807

$1.42 TND 4.10

45.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,383

$3.86 TND 11.16

-69.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,234

$1.15 TND 3.31

20.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,707

$0.74 TND 2.15

68.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 UGX 4,785

$0.84 TND 2.44

51.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,059

$0.66 TND 1.91

103.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 UGX 3,111

$0.51 TND 1.49

60.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 1,969

$0.31 TND 0.91

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

$3.75 TND 10.85

-27.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

$6.72 TND 19.43

18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 UGX 3,960

$1.32 TND 3.82

-20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 UGX 7,869

$1.31 TND 3.80

58.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 UGX 2,932

$0.45 TND 1.29

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.89 UGX 173.3K

$14.31 TND 41.39

220.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,071

$0.30 TND 0.85

83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,208

$0.33 TND 0.95

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

$1.89 TND 5.47

69.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,299

$0.90 TND 2.61

55.56%

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

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

$41.1K TND 119.0K

-80.69%

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

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

$36.7K TND 106.0K

-78.31%

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

$75.2 UGX 284.1K

$47.11 TND 136

59.67%

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

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

$8.59 TND 24.84

43.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

$20.79 TND 60.1

78.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 UGX 224.1K

$32.90 TND 95.2

80.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

$13.55 TND 39.19

-52.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

$5.09 TND 14.71

57.56%

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

$256 UGX 965.3K

$114 TND 330

123.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

$3,928 TND 11.4K

116.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

$51.1 TND 148

-70.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

$66.9 TND 193

-79.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.02 UGX 128.5K

$112 TND 324

-69.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.25 UGX 174.7K

$60.8 TND 176

-23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 UGX 2.0M

$219 TND 632

136.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 UGX 687.5K

$164 TND 474

11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

$218 TND 631

423.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 UGX 1.2M

$290 TND 837

12.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

$989 TND 2,861

22.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$987 UGX 3.7M

$648 TND 1,875

52.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 UGX 709.3K

$278 TND 803

-32.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

10.28

101.85%

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

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Carthage: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Kampala and $219 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carthage pays 48% 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 $22.00 in Carthage. Groceries flip the comparison at $154 vs $198, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($729 vs $725 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% 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: $517 in Kampala versus $219 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kampala pay roughly 28% 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 $22.00 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 1% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.