Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $747 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,128 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,508 in Kampala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 196% more expensive than Kampala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Kampala is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

464.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

146.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

25.27%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.51 UGX 1,914

339.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.31 UGX 1,178

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.37 UGX 5,142

154.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.74 UGX 2,797

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.25 UGX 4,690

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.34 UGX 5,045

31.34%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.82 UGX 6,849

76.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

214.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

60.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

282.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.46 UGX 5,496

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.65 UGX 6,219

21.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.53 UGX 5,746

60.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.63 UGX 6,121

12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.91 UGX 7,172

4.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.02 UGX 3,841

89.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.54 UGX 2,013

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

128.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

-34.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.24 UGX 4,665

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.14 UGX 8,053

38.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.86 UGX 3,248

175.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

10.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.58 UGX 2,162

639.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.26 UGX 972

215.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

343.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.46 UGX 5,478

41.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

281.52%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

354.30%

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

$148 €127

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

254.35%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

45.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

-9.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

-1.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

150.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

46.88%

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

$614 €529

$161 UGX 603.6K

282.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

267.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

508.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

195.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

140.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

151.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$395 UGX 1.5M

311.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$219 UGX 822.4K

473.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$982 UGX 3.7M

208.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$347 UGX 1.3M

483.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

533.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$980 UGX 3.7M

335.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$191 UGX 717.4K

740.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

20.8

-81.68%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $395 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 740% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $26.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $166 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

Lisbon vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 196% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 740% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $395 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Lisbon. 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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 Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kampala 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 196% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.