Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Yiwu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kampala and Yiwu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in Kampala versus $548 in Yiwu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Kampala versus $1,284 in Yiwu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,475 in Kampala versus $2,019 in Yiwu.

Living in Kampala is roughly 31% more expensive than in Yiwu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 48% lower, Yiwu 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

$2.88 ¥19.26

-8.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 UGX 102.9K

$29.22 ¥196

-8.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 UGX 29.5K

$5.14 ¥34.41

48.64%

Cappuccino

$2.61 UGX 10.1K

$3.34 ¥22.39

-21.86%

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

$0.42 UGX 1,638

$0.56 ¥3.78

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,072

$0.39 ¥2.58

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,217

$1.21 ¥8.09

11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 UGX 7,042

$2.69 ¥18.03

-32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 UGX 3,023

$1.93 ¥12.94

-59.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 UGX 3,864

$1.81 ¥12.15

-44.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,181

$1.03 ¥6.90

30.10%

Eggs

$1.51 UGX 5,848

$1.55 ¥10.41

-2.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.69 UGX 18.1K

$17.36 ¥116

-72.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 UGX 19.6K

$3.21 ¥21.47

58.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.30 UGX 20.5K

$13.50 ¥90.4

-60.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 UGX 8,341

$2.21 ¥14.79

-2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 UGX 4,507

$1.84 ¥12.34

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,214

$1.97 ¥13.21

-31.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 4,806

$1.69 ¥11.32

-26.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,082

$0.81 ¥5.46

62.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,247

$0.94 ¥6.33

44.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,014

$0.68 ¥4.58

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 UGX 2,161

$0.62 ¥4.19

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 UGX 9,976

$3.78 ¥25.31

-31.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 UGX 31.3K

$10.33 ¥69.2

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 UGX 4,172

$0.94 ¥6.26

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 UGX 7,652

$1.57 ¥10.51

26.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 UGX 3,165

$0.44 ¥2.94

86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.24 UGX 178.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,132

$1.31 ¥8.75

-58.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,226

$0.46 ¥3.10

-30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

$8.80 ¥59.0

-63.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 UGX 5,452

$1.26 ¥8.44

11.90%

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

$7,845 UGX 30.3M

$19.1K ¥128.1K

-58.98%

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

$7,825 UGX 30.2M

$19.3K ¥129.0K

-59.37%

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

$74.2 UGX 286.6K

$59.5 ¥399

24.69%

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

$12.74 UGX 49.2K

$8.44 ¥56.5

50.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 UGX 145.2K

$9.72 ¥65.1

286.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 UGX 225.6K

$14.76 ¥98.9

295.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 UGX 24.9K

$11.16 ¥74.7

-42.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 UGX 30.3K

$7.27 ¥48.72

7.84%

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

$257 UGX 992.8K

$1,411 ¥9,447

-81.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,416 UGX 32.5M

$26.7K ¥178.5K

-68.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.99 UGX 57.9K

$53.3 ¥357

-71.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.77 UGX 53.2K

$36.68 ¥246

-62.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.79 UGX 130.6K

$75.2 ¥503

-55.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 UGX 179.3K

$75.6 ¥506

-38.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 UGX 2.0M

$442 ¥2,959

18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 UGX 697.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 UGX 4.4M

$1,048 ¥7,016

9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 UGX 1.3M

$750 ¥5,023

-55.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 UGX 4.8M

$11.5K ¥77.2K

-89.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 UGX 3.8M

$2,952 ¥19.8K

-66.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 UGX 735.2K

$607 ¥4,068

-68.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

3.36

517.56%

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

Last update for Kampala: September 6, 2026

Last update for Yiwu: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Kampala and $442 in Yiwu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yiwu pays 219% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Kampala vs $29.00 in Yiwu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $238 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 Yiwu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yiwu is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 219% lower in Yiwu. 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: $523 in Kampala versus $442 in Yiwu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $257 in Kampala versus $1,411 in Yiwu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yiwu – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $27.00 in Kampala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Yiwu 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.

Expats usually find Yiwu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.