Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Kampala versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Kampala versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Kampala versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kampala is 44% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

-20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

-19.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

69.49%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

5.90%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,914

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

-61.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,178

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,142

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

-53.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

-31.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 UGX 2,797

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-59.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,690

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

-50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,045

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

15.52%

Eggs

$1.82 UGX 6,849

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-26.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

-70.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

13.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

-65.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-28.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,496

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,219

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-41.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,746

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

-34.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 UGX 6,121

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,172

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-13.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,841

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,013

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

-12.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

-63.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,665

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UGX 8,053

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

-25.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 UGX 3,248

$0.27 Rp 4,819

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

414.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,162

$0.46 Rp 8,181

26.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 972

$0.45 Rp 8,068

-42.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

-32.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,478

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

84.81%

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

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

-65.64%

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

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

-73.07%

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

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-47.80%

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

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

247.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

86.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-50.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

14.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

50.60%

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

$161 UGX 603.6K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-47.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

-33.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-69.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

-62.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-55.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 UGX 1.5M

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-60.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 UGX 822.4K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-67.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 UGX 3.7M

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-71.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 UGX 1.3M

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-83.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

-56.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 UGX 3.7M

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

-56.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 UGX 717.4K

$165 Rp 3.0M

15.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

13.28

56.63%

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

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Kampala and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kampala pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Kampala vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $302 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kampala pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $395 in Kampala versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Ubud, Bali. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. 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 Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kampala and Ubud, Bali 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 90% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.