Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $753 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,118 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,483 in Kampala.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 93% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Kampala is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

377.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

99.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

10.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

36.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.47 UGX 1,742

244.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.31 UGX 1,153

274.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.36 UGX 5,041

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

68.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.71 UGX 2,617

132.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.25 UGX 4,629

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.34 UGX 4,944

39.55%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.76 UGX 6,501

42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

135.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

69.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

179.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.51 UGX 5,598

19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.66 UGX 6,126

20.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.58 UGX 5,827

26.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.64 UGX 6,073

26.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.94 UGX 7,194

17.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.07 UGX 3,955

36.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.53 UGX 1,973

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

47.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

97.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.18 UGX 4,351

46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.11 UGX 7,816

69.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.79 UGX 2,937

-50.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

-54.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.55 UGX 2,029

141.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.28 UGX 1,037

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

23.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.43 UGX 5,285

-6.29%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

117.88%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

176.57%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

-4.12%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

84.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

-29.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

8.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

259.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

5.85%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$164 UGX 605.5K

161.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

147.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

230.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

214.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

173.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

133.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$402 UGX 1.5M

149.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$225 UGX 831.5K

177.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$987 UGX 3.6M

113.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$337 UGX 1.2M

261.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

209.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

103.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$192 UGX 710.4K

440.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

20.8

-45.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $402 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 440% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 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

Mexico City vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 440% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $402 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Mexico City. 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 $27.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.