Cost of Living Comparison Between Samut Prakan and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Samut Prakan and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $890 in Samut Prakan versus $729 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,509 in Samut Prakan versus $1,103 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,128 in Samut Prakan versus $1,478 in Kampala.

Living in Samut Prakan is roughly 22% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samut Prakan 35% lower, Kampala 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 ฿103

$2.59 UGX 9,784

21.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.51 ฿510

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

-41.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ฿255

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

1.04%

Cappuccino

$1.49 ฿48.88

$2.63 UGX 9,927

-43.35%

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

$0.50 ฿16.59

$0.39 UGX 1,475

28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ฿8.16

$0.30 UGX 1,150

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ฿66.6

$1.28 UGX 4,843

58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿92.8

$1.90 UGX 7,191

48.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿47.87

$0.83 UGX 3,153

75.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ฿33.89

$0.97 UGX 3,683

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ฿35.95

$1.39 UGX 5,261

-21.58%

Eggs

$1.79 ฿58.9

$1.56 UGX 5,910

14.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 ฿421

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

170.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 ฿83.7

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

-47.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 ฿345

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

105.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.07 UGX 7,807

-12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.02

$1.16 UGX 4,383

-11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ฿57.4

$1.39 UGX 5,234

25.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.41

$1.25 UGX 4,707

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.27 UGX 4,785

35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ฿34.47

$1.34 UGX 5,059

-21.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ฿24.63

$0.82 UGX 3,111

-8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.10

$0.52 UGX 1,969

-17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 ฿147

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

64.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 ฿398

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

51.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ฿50.3

$1.05 UGX 3,960

45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.08 UGX 7,869

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ฿16.80

$0.78 UGX 2,932

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.18 ฿992

$45.89 UGX 173.3K

-34.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿35.96

$0.55 UGX 2,071

98.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.32

$0.32 UGX 1,208

275.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ฿132

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

24.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ฿36.56

$1.40 UGX 5,299

-20.71%

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

$12.3K ฿403.3K

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

54.35%

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

$24.6K ฿808.1K

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

209.21%

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

$83.3 ฿2,739

$75.2 UGX 284.1K

10.76%

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

$9.44 ฿310

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

-23.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.03 ฿560

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

-54.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.30 ฿1,522

$59.3 UGX 224.1K

-21.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 ฿475

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

124.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ฿198

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

-24.81%

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

$155 ฿5,082

$256 UGX 965.3K

-39.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,927 ฿227.8K

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

-18.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.18 ฿762

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

53.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 ฿1,124

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

151.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ฿2,436

$34.02 UGX 128.5K

117.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 ฿3,223

$46.25 UGX 174.7K

111.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ฿16.0K

$517 UGX 2.0M

-5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 ฿9,520

$182 UGX 687.5K

59.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 ฿40.6K

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

8.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ฿27.2K

$327 UGX 1.2M

152.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,962 ฿64.5K

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

62.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,640 ฿53.9K

$987 UGX 3.7M

66.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 ฿21.4K

$188 UGX 709.3K

246.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

-85.54%

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

Last update for Samut Prakan: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Samut Prakan and $517 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samut Prakan pays 246% 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: $16.00 in Samut Prakan vs $27.00 in Kampala. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $154, with Kampala cheaper for home cooking.

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

Samut Prakan vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 246% higher in Samut Prakan, 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: $486 in Samut Prakan versus $517 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Samut Prakan. 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 $16.00 in Samut Prakan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kampala 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.

Safety-wise, Samut Prakan 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 22% less than in Samut Prakan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.