Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Samut Prakan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kampala: $666 a month against $886 in Samut Prakan, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Kampala
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Kampala Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Samut Prakan
Learn more

Samut Prakan Living Index

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Kampala

🇺🇬 Uganda

$666

/mo nomad

Samut Prakan

🇹🇭 Thailand

$886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Samut Prakan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Kampala versus $886 in Samut Prakan.

Kampala $666
Samut Prakan $886

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,013 in Kampala versus $1,378 in Samut Prakan.

Kampala $1,013
Samut Prakan $1,378

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,360 in Kampala versus $1,869 in Samut Prakan.

Kampala $1,360
Samut Prakan $1,869

Living in Kampala costs roughly 25% less than in Samut Prakan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 51% lower, Samut Prakan 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 UGX 10.2K

$3.30 ฿110

-25.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.34 UGX 100.1K

$15.12 ฿505

60.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 UGX 30.0K

$7.48 ฿250

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.46 UGX 10.1K

$1.38 ฿46.13

78.26%

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

$0.38 UGX 1,550

$0.52 ฿17.54

-26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 UGX 1,115

$0.26 ฿8.77

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 UGX 5,083

$2.02 ฿67.6

-38.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 UGX 7,456

$2.92 ฿97.4

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,934

$1.46 ฿48.92

-51.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 UGX 3,580

$0.98 ฿32.62

-11.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 UGX 5,405

$0.88 ฿29.34

48.86%

Eggs

$1.51 UGX 6,205

$1.84 ฿61.5

-17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 UGX 18.1K

$12.31 ฿411

-64.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 UGX 17.7K

$2.49 ฿83.1

73.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.81 UGX 19.8K

$10.20 ฿341

-52.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 UGX 8,325

$1.84 ฿61.5

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 UGX 4,936

$0.77 ฿25.67

55.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 UGX 5,357

$1.31 ฿43.68

-0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 UGX 4,691

$1.21 ฿40.59

-5.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 UGX 4,822

$1.52 ฿50.7

-23.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 UGX 4,877

$0.77 ฿25.78

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 UGX 2,948

$0.78 ฿25.99

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 UGX 2,085

$0.45 ฿15.01

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 UGX 9,741

$4.50 ฿151

-47.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 UGX 29.4K

$9.10 ฿304

-21.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 UGX 4,295

$1.03 ฿34.32

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 UGX 7,716

$1.89 ฿63.2

-0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 UGX 2,885

$0.51 ฿16.95

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.39 UGX 174.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 UGX 2,030

$1.74 ฿58.1

-71.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 UGX 1,177

$1.61 ฿53.7

-81.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 UGX 12.1K

$5.85 ฿196

-49.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 UGX 5,619

$1.07 ฿35.84

28.04%

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

$7,292 UGX 30.0M

$12.1K ฿405.1K

-39.85%

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

$7,173 UGX 29.5M

$24.3K ฿811.4K

-70.45%

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

$67.4 UGX 277.3K

$83.1 ฿2,776

-18.84%

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

$11.55 UGX 47.5K

$9.40 ฿314

22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.95 UGX 139.6K

$16.35 ฿547

107.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 UGX 225.0K

$47.72 ฿1,595

14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 UGX 23.4K

$15.06 ฿503

-62.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 UGX 30.1K

$6.41 ฿214

14.35%

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

$250 UGX 1.0M

$148 ฿4,933

69.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,286 UGX 34.1M

$5,950 ฿198.9K

39.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.33 UGX 54.8K

$15.09 ฿504

-11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.84 UGX 52.8K

$35.66 ฿1,192

-63.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.38 UGX 129.1K

$70.9 ฿2,369

-55.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.58 UGX 175.1K

$120 ฿4,004

-64.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 UGX 2.0M

$478 ฿16.0K

-0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 UGX 680.4K

$330 ฿11.0K

-49.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 UGX 4.3M

$1,147 ฿38.3K

-8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 UGX 1.2M

$691 ฿23.1K

-58.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,185 UGX 4.9M

$1,726 ฿57.7K

-31.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$967 UGX 4.0M

$1,607 ฿53.7K

-39.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 UGX 697.8K

$671 ฿22.4K

-74.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

591.67%

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

Last update for Kampala: October 18, 2026

Last update for Samut Prakan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kampala

$165 24.8%

Samut Prakan

$330 37.2% 99.3% $164

Groceries & Markets

Kampala

$143 21.4%

Samut Prakan

$182 20.5% 27.6% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kampala

$113 17%

Samut Prakan

$109 12.3% 3.6% $4.1

Eating Out

Kampala

$84 12.6%

Samut Prakan

$84 9.5% 1.1% $0.9

Sport & Entertainment

Kampala

$69 10.4%

Samut Prakan

$61 6.8% 12.7% $8.8

Getting Around

Kampala

$47 7.1%

Samut Prakan

$12 * 1.3% 75% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Kampala

$45 6.8%

Samut Prakan

$109 12.3% 141% $64

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kampala and $478 in Samut Prakan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samut Prakan pays 295% 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 $15.00 in Samut Prakan. Groceries flip the comparison at $143 vs $182, with Kampala cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇬 Kampala

🇹🇭 Samut Prakan

🕒 Local time

15:31 3:31 PM

19:31 7:31 PM

4 h ahead of Kampala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,516,210 Capital

50,843

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to UGX in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kampala Samut Prakan 7,630 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Kampala
Samut Prakan

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 Samut Prakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 295% lower in Samut Prakan. 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: $476 in Kampala versus $478 in Samut Prakan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $250 in Kampala versus $148 in Samut Prakan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $15.00 in Samut Prakan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kampala 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.

Safety-wise, Kampala and Samut Prakan 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 33% less than in Samut Prakan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.