Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Soroti

For one person, living is cheaper in Soroti: $382 a month against $643 in Kampala, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kampala, Uganda
Soroti, Uganda
Kampala
🇺🇬 Uganda
$643
/mo nomad
Soroti
🇺🇬 Uganda
$382
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kampala and in Soroti

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Kampala versus $382 in Soroti.

  • Kampala $643
  • Soroti $382

Estimated couple costs with rent: $981 in Kampala versus $600 in Soroti.

  • Kampala $981
  • Soroti $600

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,320 in Kampala versus $818 in Soroti.

  • Kampala $1,320
  • Soroti $818

Living in Kampala is roughly 68% more expensive than in Soroti, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 52% lower, Soroti 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.36 UGX 10.1K
$2.35 UGX 10.0K
0.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.23 UGX 99.3K
$22.94 UGX 98.0K
1.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.17 UGX 30.6K
$7.11 UGX 30.4K
0.84%
Cappuccino
$2.49 UGX 10.6K
$2.47 UGX 10.6K
0.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 UGX 1,568
$0.36 UGX 1,541
2.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 UGX 1,024
$0.24 UGX 1,016
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.18 UGX 5,049
$1.19 UGX 5,071
-0.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 UGX 7,623
$1.71 UGX 7,324
4.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 UGX 3,269
$0.75 UGX 3,221
1.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 UGX 3,672
$0.86 UGX 3,686
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 UGX 5,389
$0.97 UGX 4,161
29.90%
Eggs
$1.38 UGX 5,884
$1.41 UGX 6,026
-2.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.11 UGX 17.6K
$4.22 UGX 18.0K
-2.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.12 UGX 17.6K
$4.32 UGX 18.5K
-4.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.62 UGX 19.7K
$2.79 UGX 11.9K
65.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.06 UGX 8,783
$2.01 UGX 8,595
2.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 UGX 5,990
$1.37 UGX 5,838
2.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 UGX 5,334
$1.25 UGX 5,347
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 UGX 5,128
$0.68 UGX 2,906
76.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 UGX 5,112
$0.49 UGX 2,080
144.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 UGX 5,299
$1.20 UGX 5,108
3.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 UGX 3,024
$0.69 UGX 2,958
2.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 UGX 2,121
$0.49 UGX 2,110
2.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 UGX 9,832
$2.32 UGX 9,932
-0.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.19 UGX 30.7K
$7.19 UGX 30.7K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 UGX 4,310
$1.05 UGX 4,470
-3.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 UGX 7,865
$1.85 UGX 7,912
-0.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 UGX 3,089
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.73 UGX 161.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 UGX 2,086
$0.48 UGX 2,053
2.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 UGX 1,293
$0.30 UGX 1,292
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 UGX 12.6K
$2.88 UGX 12.3K
2.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 UGX 6,041
$1.40 UGX 5,963
0.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$6,948 UGX 29.7M
$7,086 UGX 30.3M
-1.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$7,038 UGX 30.1M
$7,112 UGX 30.4M
-1.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.9 UGX 277.3K
$66.3 UGX 283.1K
-2.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 UGX 48.1K
$10.89 UGX 46.5K
3.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.28 UGX 142.2K
$33.17 UGX 141.7K
0.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 UGX 221.7K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.66 UGX 24.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.05 UGX 30.1K
$6.86 UGX 29.3K
2.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$262 UGX 1.1M
$264 UGX 1.1M
-0.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K UGX 66.8M
$16.1K UGX 68.7M
-2.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.27 UGX 56.7K
$13.32 UGX 56.9K
-0.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.05 UGX 51.5K
$12.06 UGX 51.6K
-0.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$30.16 UGX 128.9K
$30.60 UGX 130.7K
-1.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.28 UGX 176.4K
$41.24 UGX 176.2K
0.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$460 UGX 2.0M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$158 UGX 674.8K
-
-
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
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kampala
Soroti
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$169 UGX 720.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.75
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 Soroti: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kampala
$158
Soroti
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Kampala
$141
Soroti
$131 7.4% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kampala
$109
Soroti
$110 0.8% $0.9
Eating Out
Kampala
$82
Soroti
$82 0.8% $0.6
Sport & Entertainment
Kampala
$66
Soroti
$14 * 79.2% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Kampala
$44
Soroti
$44 0.5% $0.2
Getting Around
Kampala
$43
Soroti
$2 * 95.3% $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 Soroti. Groceries flip the comparison at $141 vs $131, with Soroti cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇬 Kampala
🇺🇬 Soroti
🕒 Local time
16:06 4:06 PM
16:06 4:06 PM
Same time as Kampala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,516,210 Capital
60,900
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4,273 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.34 USD). 1 EUR = 4,791 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kampala Soroti 190 km
From you
  • Kampala
  • Soroti

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 Soroti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Soroti cheaper than Kampala?
Soroti is about 41% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, transport, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $964 in Kampala and $573 in Soroti 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.
How do food prices compare in Kampala and in Soroti?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Kampala. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $262 in Kampala versus $264 in Soroti. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 enough for either Kampala or Soroti?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Soroti gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Kampala or in Soroti?
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.

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