Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Lichfield

For one person, living is cheaper in Kampala: $666 a month against $2,377 in Lichfield, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kampala
🇺🇬 Uganda
$666
/mo nomad
Lichfield
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,377
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Lichfield

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Kampala versus $2,377 in Lichfield.

  • Kampala $666
  • Lichfield $2,377

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,013 in Kampala versus $3,434 in Lichfield.

  • Kampala $1,013
  • Lichfield $3,434

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,360 in Kampala versus $4,490 in Lichfield.

  • Kampala $1,360
  • Lichfield $4,490

Living in Kampala costs roughly 72% less than in Lichfield, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kampala is 51% below, Lichfield is 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.47 UGX 10.2K
$20.47 £15.36
-87.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.34 UGX 100.1K
$66.7 £50.0
-63.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.30 UGX 30.0K
$9.53 £7.15
-23.40%
Cappuccino
$2.46 UGX 10.1K
$4.69 £3.52
-47.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 UGX 1,550
$2.40 £1.80
-84.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 UGX 1,115
$1.30 £0.98
-79.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.24 UGX 5,083
$6.69 £5.02
-81.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 UGX 7,456
$5.31 £3.98
-65.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 UGX 2,934
$1.66 £1.25
-57.23%
White Bread (500g)
$0.87 UGX 3,580
$1.56 £1.17
-44.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 UGX 5,405
$2.19 £1.64
-40.18%
Eggs
$1.51 UGX 6,205
$3.94 £2.96
-61.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 UGX 18.1K
$9.53 £7.15
-53.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.31 UGX 17.7K
$8.54 £6.40
-49.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.81 UGX 19.8K
$14.32 £10.74
-66.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.02 UGX 8,325
$2.47 £1.85
-18.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 UGX 4,936
$1.54 £1.16
-22.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.30 UGX 5,357
$2.38 £1.79
-45.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 UGX 4,691
$3.49 £2.62
-67.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 UGX 4,822
$1.52 £1.14
-23.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 UGX 4,877
$1.58 £1.19
-24.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 UGX 2,948
$1.21 £0.91
-40.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 UGX 2,085
$1.51 £1.14
-66.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 UGX 9,741
$21.01 £15.76
-88.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.14 UGX 29.4K
$10.90 £8.18
-34.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 UGX 4,295
$2.58 £1.94
-59.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 UGX 7,716
$3.22 £2.42
-41.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 UGX 2,885
$3.96 £2.97
-82.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.39 UGX 174.4K
$110 £82.2
-61.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 UGX 2,030
$4.81 £3.61
-89.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 UGX 1,177
$2.35 £1.76
-87.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 UGX 12.1K
$24.33 £18.25
-87.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 UGX 5,619
$2.11 £1.58
-35.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,292 UGX 30.0M
$37.9K £28.4K
-80.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$7,173 UGX 29.5M
$40.2K £30.1K
-82.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$67.4 UGX 277.3K
$315 £237
-78.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.55 UGX 47.5K
$16.01 £12.01
-27.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.95 UGX 139.6K
$48.33 £36.26
-29.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 UGX 225.0K
$50.4 £37.79
8.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.69 UGX 23.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.33 UGX 30.1K
$12.11 £9.09
-39.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$250 UGX 1.0M
$1,246 £935
-79.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,286 UGX 34.1M
$24.1K £18.1K
-65.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.33 UGX 54.8K
$84.2 £63.1
-84.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.84 UGX 52.8K
$41.96 £31.48
-69.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$31.38 UGX 129.1K
$108 £80.7
-70.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.58 UGX 175.1K
$108 £81.1
-60.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 UGX 2.0M
$1,221 £916
-60.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$165 UGX 680.4K
$1,028 £771
-83.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 UGX 4.3M
$1,329 £997
-21.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$288 UGX 1.2M
$1,683 £1,263
-82.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,185 UGX 4.9M
$5,257 £3,944
-77.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$967 UGX 4.0M
$4,195 £3,147
-76.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kampala
Lichfield
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$170 UGX 697.8K
$4,310 £3,233
-96.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.75
5.33
289.31%

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

Last update for Kampala: October 18, 2026

Last update for Lichfield: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kampala
$165
Lichfield
$1K 521% $862
Groceries & Markets
Kampala
$143
Lichfield
$291 104% $149
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampala
$113
Lichfield
$380 236% $267
Eating Out
Kampala
$84
Lichfield
$308 268% $224
Sport & Entertainment
Kampala
$69
Lichfield
$75 7.6% $5.3
Getting Around
Kampala
$47
Lichfield
$142 201% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Kampala
$45
Lichfield
$154 241% $109

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kampala and $1,221 in Lichfield. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lichfield pays 2440% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Kampala vs $67.0 in Lichfield for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $291 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇬 Kampala
🇬🇧 Lichfield
🕒 Local time
23:08 11:08 PM
21:08 9:08 PM
2 h behind Kampala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,516,210 Capital
30,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kampala Lichfield 6,640 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kampala
  • Lichfield

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lichfield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lichfield cheaper than Kampala?
Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 257% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kampala or Lichfield?
On paper, salaries run 2440% lower in Lichfield. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Kampala and Lichfield?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Kampala versus $1,221 in Lichfield. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Kampala and in Lichfield?
Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Lichfield. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Kampala or in Lichfield?
Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $67.0 in Lichfield. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Kampala or in Lichfield?
At $666 in Kampala versus $2,377 in Lichfield, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Lichfield. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Kampala or in Lichfield?
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.
Which city is safer, Kampala or Lichfield?
Safety-wise, Kampala and Lichfield are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 257% less than in Lichfield. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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