Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Lugazi

For one person, living is cheaper in Lugazi: $389 a month against $643 in Kampala, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Kampala
Learn more

Kampala Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Lugazi
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Lugazi Living Index

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Kampala

🇺🇬 Uganda

$643

/mo nomad

Lugazi

🇺🇬 Uganda

$389

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Lugazi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Kampala versus $389 in Lugazi.

Kampala $643
Lugazi $389

Estimated couple costs with rent: $981 in Kampala versus $614 in Lugazi.

Kampala $981
Lugazi $614

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,320 in Kampala versus $838 in Lugazi.

Kampala $1,320
Lugazi $838

Living in Kampala is roughly 65% more expensive than in Lugazi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 52% lower, Lugazi 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.36 UGX 9,965

$2.40 UGX 10.1K

-1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 UGX 98.0K

$22.97 UGX 96.9K

1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 UGX 30.2K

$7.08 UGX 29.8K

1.27%

Cappuccino

$2.49 UGX 10.5K

$2.39 UGX 10.1K

4.18%

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

$0.37 UGX 1,548

$0.33 UGX 1,409

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 UGX 1,011

$0.24 UGX 1,010

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 UGX 4,983

$1.14 UGX 4,795

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UGX 7,523

$1.77 UGX 7,479

0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 UGX 3,226

$0.80 UGX 3,365

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 UGX 3,624

$0.79 UGX 3,338

8.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 UGX 5,319

$1.24 UGX 5,214

1.61%

Eggs

$1.38 UGX 5,807

$1.35 UGX 5,703

2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.11 UGX 17.4K

$4.04 UGX 17.0K

1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 UGX 17.4K

$4.16 UGX 17.6K

-0.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.62 UGX 19.5K

$4.52 UGX 19.1K

2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 UGX 8,668

$1.99 UGX 8,374

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,912

$1.34 UGX 5,651

4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 5,264

$1.25 UGX 5,266

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 UGX 5,061

$1.23 UGX 5,201

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 UGX 5,045

$1.13 UGX 4,787

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 5,229

$1.25 UGX 5,276

-0.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 UGX 2,984

$0.70 UGX 2,958

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 UGX 2,094

$0.50 UGX 2,093

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 UGX 9,704

$2.37 UGX 10.0K

-2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 UGX 30.3K

$7.05 UGX 29.7K

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 UGX 4,254

$1.01 UGX 4,278

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 UGX 7,762

$1.83 UGX 7,725

0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 UGX 3,049

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.73 UGX 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 UGX 2,058

$0.46 UGX 1,921

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 UGX 1,276

$0.30 UGX 1,278

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 UGX 12.4K

$2.86 UGX 12.1K

2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 UGX 5,962

$1.37 UGX 5,757

2.92%

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

$6,948 UGX 29.3M

$6,887 UGX 29.0M

0.88%

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

$7,038 UGX 29.7M

$7,149 UGX 30.2M

-1.55%

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

$64.9 UGX 273.7K

$65.4 UGX 275.9K

-0.79%

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

$11.26 UGX 47.5K

$11.16 UGX 47.1K

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.28 UGX 140.3K

$32.67 UGX 137.8K

1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 UGX 218.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.66 UGX 23.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 UGX 29.7K

$6.85 UGX 28.9K

2.92%

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

$262 UGX 1.1M

$268 UGX 1.1M

-2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K UGX 65.9M

$16.2K UGX 68.3M

-3.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.27 UGX 56.0K

$13.05 UGX 55.0K

1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.05 UGX 50.8K

$12.49 UGX 52.7K

-3.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.16 UGX 127.2K

$30.97 UGX 130.6K

-2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.28 UGX 174.1K

$41.40 UGX 174.6K

-0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 UGX 1.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 UGX 665.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 UGX 5.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 UGX 1.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,224 UGX 5.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 UGX 4.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 UGX 711.3K

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lugazi: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kampala

$158 24.6%

Lugazi

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Kampala

$141 22%

Lugazi

$139 35.8% 1.3% $1.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kampala

$109 17%

Lugazi

$109 28.1% 0.2% $0.2

Eating Out

Kampala

$82 12.8%

Lugazi

$81 20.7% 1.9% $1.5

Sport & Entertainment

Kampala

$66 10.3%

Lugazi

$14 * 3.5% 79.2% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Kampala

$44 6.8%

Lugazi

$44 11.3% 1.2% $0.5

Getting Around

Kampala

$43 6.6%

Lugazi

$2 * 0.5% 95.4% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23 in Kampala vs $23 in Lugazi. Groceries flip the comparison at $141 vs $139, with Lugazi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇬 Kampala

🇺🇬 Lugazi

🕒 Local time

13:11 1:11 PM

Same time as Kampala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,516,210 Capital

128,400

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Lugazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lugazi is about 39% cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $964 in Kampala and $583 in Lugazi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $262 in Kampala versus $268 in Lugazi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $643 per month in Kampala versus $389 in Lugazi – Lugazi is about 39% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Lugazi 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.