Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Samut Prakan Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Samut Prakan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Kampala versus $812 in Samut Prakan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Kampala versus $1,421 in Samut Prakan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Kampala versus $2,030 in Samut Prakan.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 8% less than in Samut Prakan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Samut Prakan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

$3.05 ฿99.7

-7.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

$15.28 ฿499

71.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

$7.72 ฿252

8.68%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

$1.31 ฿42.91

119.08%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,914

$0.62 ฿20.38

-17.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,178

$0.29 ฿9.63

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,142

$1.84 ฿60.1

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$3.81 ฿124

-28.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 UGX 2,797

$1.43 ฿46.89

-48.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,690

$1.01 ฿33.07

23.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,045

$1.12 ฿36.52

19.64%

Eggs

$1.82 UGX 6,849

$1.80 ฿58.8

1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$13.43 ฿439

-68.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

$2.83 ฿92.5

73.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

$10.76 ฿352

-61.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$1.83 ฿60.0

49.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,496

$0.75 ฿24.66

94.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,219

$1.81 ฿59.2

-8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,746

$1.37 ฿44.89

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 UGX 6,121

$1.63 ฿53.3

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,172

$1.10 ฿35.99

73.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,841

$0.78 ฿25.61

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,013

$0.43 ฿13.93

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

$4.76 ฿155

-39.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

$12.09 ฿395

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,665

$1.51 ฿49.42

-17.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UGX 8,053

$2.21 ฿72.3

-3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 UGX 3,248

$0.52 ฿16.90

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

$31.10 ฿1,017

32.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,162

$1.11 ฿36.29

-47.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 972

$0.71 ฿23.18

-63.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$5.26 ฿172

-21.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,478

$1.29 ฿42.19

13.18%

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

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

$12.3K ฿402.9K

-27.09%

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

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

$21.1K ฿689.5K

-58.99%

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

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

$73.2 ฿2,392

-42.98%

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

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

$10.91 ฿357

29.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

$17.11 ฿559

156.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

$46.92 ฿1,534

3.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

$12.05 ฿394

-37.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

$6.07 ฿198

2.97%

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

$161 UGX 603.6K

$383 ฿12.5K

-58.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

$6,856 ฿224.1K

-36.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

$19.33 ฿632

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

$34.17 ฿1,117

-58.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

$61.4 ฿2,006

-36.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

$58.0 ฿1,895

-17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 UGX 1.5M

$486 ฿15.9K

-18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 UGX 822.4K

$245 ฿8,013

-10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 UGX 3.7M

$803 ฿26.2K

22.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 UGX 1.3M

$832 ฿27.2K

-58.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

$1,755 ฿57.4K

-29.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 UGX 3.7M

$1,487 ฿48.6K

-34.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 UGX 717.4K

$651 ฿21.3K

-70.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

593.33%

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

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Last update for Samut Prakan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Kampala and $486 in Samut Prakan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samut Prakan pays 241% 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: $26.00 in Kampala vs $15.00 in Samut Prakan. Groceries flip the comparison at $166 vs $202, with Kampala cheaper for home cooking.

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 & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Samut Prakan earns 241% less. 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: $395 in Kampala versus $486 in Samut Prakan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Samut Prakan. 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 $26.00 versus $15.00 in Samut Prakan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $812 in Samut Prakan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Samut Prakan. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 9% less than in Samut Prakan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.