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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $747 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,128 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,508 in Kampala.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 96% more expensive than Kampala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Kampala is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

367.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

105.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

12.28%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

23.69%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.51 UGX 1,914

217.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.31 UGX 1,178

258.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.37 UGX 5,142

127.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

70.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.74 UGX 2,797

129.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.25 UGX 4,690

117.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.34 UGX 5,045

42.54%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.82 UGX 6,849

39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

133.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

64.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

180.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.46 UGX 5,496

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.65 UGX 6,219

21.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.53 UGX 5,746

32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.63 UGX 6,121

30.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.91 UGX 7,172

18.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.02 UGX 3,841

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.54 UGX 2,013

109.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

47.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

77.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.24 UGX 4,665

41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.14 UGX 8,053

68.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.86 UGX 3,248

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

-53.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.58 UGX 2,162

137.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.26 UGX 972

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

31.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.46 UGX 5,478

-10.96%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

107.98%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

167.42%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

-2.08%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

90.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

-31.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

7.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

255.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

0.80%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$161 UGX 603.6K

171.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

138.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

229.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

212.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

163.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

121.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$395 UGX 1.5M

158.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$219 UGX 822.4K

188.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$982 UGX 3.7M

117.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$347 UGX 1.3M

258.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

216.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$980 UGX 3.7M

110.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$191 UGX 717.4K

484.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $395 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 484% 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 $26.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 484% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $395 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% 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 $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $1,467 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 96% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.