Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $753 in Kampala versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Kampala versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Kampala versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kampala is 44% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$13.07 MX$228

-79.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

$53.8 MX$936

-49.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

$9.68 MX$169

-9.40%

Cappuccino

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$3.74 MX$65.1

-26.74%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,742

$1.62 MX$28.13

-70.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,153

$1.16 MX$20.23

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,041

$3.23 MX$56.2

-57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$4.74 MX$82.5

-40.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,617

$1.65 MX$28.68

-56.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,629

$2.75 MX$47.95

-54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,944

$1.87 MX$32.63

-28.34%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,501

$2.50 MX$43.54

-29.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

$10.20 MX$178

-57.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

$8.25 MX$144

-40.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

$11.82 MX$206

-64.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$3.01 MX$52.4

-9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 UGX 5,598

$1.81 MX$31.54

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,126

$2.00 MX$34.81

-17.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,827

$2.00 MX$34.74

-21.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,073

$2.08 MX$36.30

-21.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UGX 7,194

$2.27 MX$39.56

-14.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,955

$1.46 MX$25.36

-26.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,973

$1.08 MX$18.74

-50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

$4.35 MX$75.7

-32.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

$16.99 MX$296

-49.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,351

$1.73 MX$30.18

-31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 UGX 7,816

$3.58 MX$62.3

-41.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 2,937

$0.39 MX$6.74

102.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

$18.69 MX$325

121.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,029

$1.33 MX$23.08

-58.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,037

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

$5.25 MX$91.5

-19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,285

$1.34 MX$23.27

6.72%

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

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

-54.10%

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

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-63.84%

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

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

$40.69 MX$709

4.30%

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

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

$26.87 MX$468

-45.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

$30.51 MX$531

41.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

$52.8 MX$919

-7.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

$26.65 MX$464

-72.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

$6.51 MX$113

-5.53%

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

$164 UGX 605.5K

$428 MX$7,454

-61.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-59.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

$57.3 MX$997

-69.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

$45.50 MX$792

-68.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

$104 MX$1,812

-63.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

$108 MX$1,878

-57.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 UGX 1.5M

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-59.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 UGX 831.5K

$623 MX$10.8K

-63.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 UGX 3.6M

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 UGX 1.2M

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-72.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-67.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-50.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 UGX 710.4K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-81.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

11.34

83.42%

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

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Kampala and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 440% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $292 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 440% lower in Mexico City. 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: $402 in Kampala versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Mexico City. 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.