Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Fort Portal Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Fort Portal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $694 per month in Kampala vs $406 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,069 per month in Kampala vs $635 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,445 per month in Kampala vs $864 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Kampala costs about 71% more than Fort Portal, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kampala and Fort Portal are more affordable than the global median – Kampala 49% lower, Fort Portal 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 UGX 10.2K

$2.67 UGX 10.5K

-2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.01 UGX 102.4K

$26.03 UGX 102.5K

-0.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 UGX 29.6K

$7.81 UGX 30.7K

-3.59%

Cappuccino

$2.61 UGX 10.3K

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

-1.14%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,535

$0.39 UGX 1,538

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 UGX 1,016

$0.28 UGX 1,098

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 UGX 5,152

$1.33 UGX 5,251

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 UGX 7,725

$1.87 UGX 7,346

4.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 UGX 3,321

$0.31 UGX 1,208

170.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 UGX 3,522

$0.76 UGX 2,990

17.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 UGX 5,562

$1.08 UGX 4,253

30.56%

Eggs

$1.62 UGX 6,375

$1.28 UGX 5,043

26.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 UGX 17.9K

$4.66 UGX 18.4K

-2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 UGX 18.5K

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

-7.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.00 UGX 19.7K

$3.39 UGX 13.4K

47.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 UGX 8,687

$2.16 UGX 8,520

2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 UGX 5,169

$0.76 UGX 2,998

72.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,214

$1.39 UGX 5,485

-5.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,909

$1.28 UGX 5,043

-2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 UGX 4,667

$1.32 UGX 5,190

-9.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 UGX 5,392

$0.68 UGX 2,686

101.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 UGX 2,973

$0.84 UGX 3,308

-10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 UGX 2,148

$0.51 UGX 2,027

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 UGX 10.3K

$2.63 UGX 10.4K

-0.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 UGX 30.6K

$5.45 UGX 21.5K

42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 UGX 4,222

$0.77 UGX 3,052

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 UGX 7,667

$1.04 UGX 4,097

87.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 3,122

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.75 UGX 172.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 2,064

$0.56 UGX 2,187

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 UGX 1,207

$0.34 UGX 1,341

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 UGX 12.6K

$3.23 UGX 12.7K

-0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 UGX 5,403

$1.35 UGX 5,325

1.48%

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

$7,649 UGX 30.1M

$7,827 UGX 30.8M

-2.27%

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

$7,693 UGX 30.3M

$8,091 UGX 31.9M

-4.92%

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

$72.5 UGX 285.4K

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

-4.51%

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

$11.82 UGX 46.6K

$12.40 UGX 48.8K

-4.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.46 UGX 143.6K

$37.36 UGX 147.1K

-2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 UGX 225.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 UGX 23.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 UGX 30.1K

$8.10 UGX 31.9K

-5.56%

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

$259 UGX 1.0M

$263 UGX 1.0M

-1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,404 UGX 33.1M

$8,692 UGX 34.2M

-3.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.19 UGX 55.9K

$15.15 UGX 59.6K

-6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.67 UGX 53.8K

$14.11 UGX 55.6K

-3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.15 UGX 130.6K

$34.19 UGX 134.6K

-3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.85 UGX 180.6K

$46.35 UGX 182.5K

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 UGX 2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 UGX 684.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 UGX 4.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 UGX 1.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 UGX 4.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 UGX 3.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 UGX 720.9K

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kampala versus $26.00 in Fort Portal. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Kampala vs $129 in Fort Portal – so Fort Portal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fort Portal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala costs about 71% more than Fort Portal, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,041 per month in Kampala and $609 in Fort Portal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kampala and $26.00 in Fort Portal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Kampala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $694 in Kampala and $406 in Fort Portal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Fort Portal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Portal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kampala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.