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: $747 in Kampala versus $650 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Kampala versus $1,056 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Kampala versus $1,462 in Carthage.

Living in Kampala is roughly 15% more expensive than Carthage, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Carthage 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

$5.01 TND 14.55

-43.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

$25.83 TND 75.0

1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

$5.22 TND 15.14

60.73%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

$1.06 TND 3.08

170.75%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,914

$0.70 TND 2.04

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,178

$0.28 TND 0.82

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,142

$1.68 TND 4.87

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$1.92 TND 5.57

41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 UGX 2,797

$0.49 TND 1.43

51.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,690

$0.20 TND 0.58

525.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,045

$1.74 TND 5.04

-22.99%

Eggs

$1.82 UGX 6,849

$1.64 TND 4.77

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$10.47 TND 30.39

-59.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

$6.11 TND 17.75

-19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

$14.88 TND 43.21

-72.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$2.02 TND 5.88

35.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,496

$3.53 TND 10.24

-58.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,219

$1.12 TND 3.26

47.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,746

$0.74 TND 2.14

106.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 UGX 6,121

$0.78 TND 2.27

108.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,172

$0.66 TND 1.92

189.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,841

$0.46 TND 1.34

121.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,013

$0.31 TND 0.91

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

$3.56 TND 10.32

-18.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

$7.78 TND 22.59

12.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,665

$1.30 TND 3.77

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UGX 8,053

$1.26 TND 3.65

69.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 UGX 3,248

$0.36 TND 1.03

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

$7.26 TND 21.08

469.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,162

$0.32 TND 0.94

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 972

$0.31 TND 0.89

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$3.37 TND 9.79

22.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,478

$0.83 TND 2.41

75.90%

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

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

$40.3K TND 117.1K

-77.73%

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

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

$36.2K TND 105.1K

-76.10%

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

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

$45.69 TND 133

-8.67%

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

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

$9.47 TND 27.50

48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

$18.94 TND 55.0

131.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

$37.63 TND 109

28.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

$13.48 TND 39.15

-43.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

$5.31 TND 15.41

17.70%

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

$161 UGX 603.6K

$109 TND 316

47.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

$3,369 TND 9,781

29.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

$44.85 TND 130

-61.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

$61.5 TND 178

-76.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

$97.0 TND 282

-59.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

$65.6 TND 191

-27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 UGX 1.5M

$168 TND 487

135.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 UGX 822.4K

$99.8 TND 290

119.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 UGX 3.7M

$301 TND 874

226.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 UGX 1.3M

$239 TND 695

44.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

$867 TND 2,519

41.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 UGX 3.7M

$413 TND 1,198

137.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 UGX 717.4K

$278 TND 807

-31.35%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Carthage: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Kampala and $168 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carthage pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Kampala vs $26.00 in Carthage for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $200 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

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 15% in total monthly costs ($747 vs $650 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Carthage earns 46% 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 $168 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kampala pay roughly 20% 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 $26.00 versus $26.00 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 15% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.