Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $729 in Kampala versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Kampala versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,478 in Kampala versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 69% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kampala is 47% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.59 UGX 9,787

$17.30 €14.93

-85.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

$63.3 €54.6

-57.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

$11.39 €9.83

-32.57%

Cappuccino

$2.63 UGX 9,930

$3.19 €2.75

-17.55%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,475

$2.45 €2.11

-84.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 UGX 1,151

$1.76 €1.52

-82.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 UGX 4,844

$3.59 €3.10

-64.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UGX 7,193

$3.39 €2.93

-43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 UGX 3,154

$1.24 €1.07

-33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 UGX 3,684

$1.98 €1.71

-51.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,262

$1.52 €1.31

-8.55%

Eggs

$1.56 UGX 5,912

$4.04 €3.49

-61.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

$13.54 €11.68

-64.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

$8.39 €7.24

-42.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

$18.25 €15.75

-71.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 UGX 7,809

$2.29 €1.98

-9.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,385

$1.74 €1.50

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,236

$1.86 €1.60

-25.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,709

$2.63 €2.27

-52.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 UGX 4,786

$1.92 €1.65

-33.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,060

$2.09 €1.81

-35.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 UGX 3,112

$1.44 €1.24

-43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 UGX 1,969

$0.84 €0.73

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

$6.78 €5.85

-60.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

$5.71 €4.93

39.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 UGX 3,961

$1.38 €1.19

-23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 UGX 7,872

$2.22 €1.91

-6.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 UGX 2,933

$2.40 €2.07

-67.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.89 UGX 173.4K

$46.78 €40.37

-1.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,071

$4.17 €3.60

-86.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,209

$1.14 €0.98

-71.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

$17.68 €15.26

-81.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 UGX 5,301

$2.32 €2.01

-39.66%

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

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

$35.3K €30.5K

-77.51%

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

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

$41.4K €35.8K

-80.82%

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

$75.2 UGX 284.2K

$170 €147

-55.84%

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

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

$19.34 €16.69

-36.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

$33.64 €29.03

10.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 UGX 224.2K

$48.10 €41.50

23.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

$19.90 €17.17

-67.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

$9.92 €8.56

-19.15%

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

$256 UGX 965.6K

$717 €619

-64.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

$17.5K €15.1K

-51.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

$105 €90.4

-85.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

$46.95 €40.51

-71.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.02 UGX 128.6K

$103 €89.2

-67.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.25 UGX 174.8K

$124 €107

-62.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 UGX 2.0M

$1,677 €1,447

-69.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 UGX 687.7K

$1,271 €1,097

-85.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

$2,985 €2,575

-61.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 UGX 1.2M

$1,992 €1,719

-83.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

$7,826 €6,753

-84.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$987 UGX 3.7M

$4,658 €4,019

-78.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 UGX 709.5K

$1,583 €1,366

-88.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

3.79

447.49%

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

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Kampala and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 743% 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: $27.00 in Kampala vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $154 vs $283 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 218% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 743% lower in Lisbon. 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 $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $729 in Kampala versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kampala and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.