Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Soroti and Kampala

For one person, living is cheaper in Soroti: $382 a month against $643 in Kampala, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Soroti, Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
Soroti
🇺🇬 Uganda
$382
/mo nomad
Kampala
🇺🇬 Uganda
$643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Soroti and in Kampala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Soroti and in Kampala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $382 in Soroti versus $643 in Kampala.

  • Soroti $382
  • Kampala $643

Estimated couple costs with rent: $600 in Soroti versus $981 in Kampala.

  • Soroti $600
  • Kampala $981

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $818 in Soroti versus $1,320 in Kampala.

  • Soroti $818
  • Kampala $1,320

Living in Soroti costs roughly 41% less than in Kampala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Soroti 72% lower, Kampala 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.35 UGX 10.0K
$2.36 UGX 10.1K
-0.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.94 UGX 98.0K
$23.23 UGX 99.3K
-1.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.11 UGX 30.4K
$7.17 UGX 30.6K
-0.84%
Cappuccino
$2.47 UGX 10.6K
$2.49 UGX 10.6K
-0.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 UGX 1,541
$0.37 UGX 1,568
-2.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 UGX 1,016
$0.24 UGX 1,024
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.19 UGX 5,071
$1.18 UGX 5,049
0.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 UGX 7,324
$1.78 UGX 7,623
-3.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 UGX 3,221
$0.76 UGX 3,269
-1.32%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 UGX 3,686
$0.86 UGX 3,672
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 UGX 4,161
$1.26 UGX 5,389
-23.02%
Eggs
$1.41 UGX 6,026
$1.38 UGX 5,884
2.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.22 UGX 18.0K
$4.11 UGX 17.6K
2.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 UGX 18.5K
$4.12 UGX 17.6K
4.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$2.79 UGX 11.9K
$4.62 UGX 19.7K
-39.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 UGX 8,595
$2.06 UGX 8,783
-2.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 UGX 5,838
$1.40 UGX 5,990
-2.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 UGX 5,347
$1.25 UGX 5,334
-
Tomato (1kg)
$0.68 UGX 2,906
$1.20 UGX 5,128
-43.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.49 UGX 2,080
$1.20 UGX 5,112
-59.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 UGX 5,108
$1.24 UGX 5,299
-3.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 UGX 2,958
$0.71 UGX 3,024
-2.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 UGX 2,110
$0.50 UGX 2,121
-2.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.32 UGX 9,932
$2.30 UGX 9,832
0.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.19 UGX 30.7K
$7.19 UGX 30.7K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 UGX 4,470
$1.01 UGX 4,310
3.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 UGX 7,912
$1.84 UGX 7,865
0.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.72 UGX 3,089
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$37.73 UGX 161.2K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 UGX 2,053
$0.49 UGX 2,086
-2.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 UGX 1,292
$0.30 UGX 1,293
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.88 UGX 12.3K
$2.94 UGX 12.6K
-2.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 UGX 5,963
$1.41 UGX 6,041
-0.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,086 UGX 30.3M
$6,948 UGX 29.7M
1.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$7,112 UGX 30.4M
$7,038 UGX 30.1M
1.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$66.3 UGX 283.1K
$64.9 UGX 277.3K
2.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.89 UGX 46.5K
$11.26 UGX 48.1K
-3.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.17 UGX 141.7K
$33.28 UGX 142.2K
-0.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$51.9 UGX 221.7K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$5.66 UGX 24.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.86 UGX 29.3K
$7.05 UGX 30.1K
-2.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$264 UGX 1.1M
$262 UGX 1.1M
0.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K UGX 68.7M
$15.6K UGX 66.8M
2.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.32 UGX 56.9K
$13.27 UGX 56.7K
0.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.06 UGX 51.6K
$12.05 UGX 51.5K
0.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$30.60 UGX 130.7K
$30.16 UGX 128.9K
1.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.24 UGX 176.2K
$41.28 UGX 176.4K
-0.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$460 UGX 2.0M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$158 UGX 674.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,198 UGX 5.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$281 UGX 1.2M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 UGX 5.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$938 UGX 4.0M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Soroti
Kampala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$169 UGX 720.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.75
20.75
-

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

Last update for Soroti: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kampala: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Soroti
$131
Kampala
$141 7.9% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Soroti
$110
Kampala
$109 0.8% $0.9
Eating Out
Soroti
$82
Kampala
$82 0.8% $0.6
Clothing & Footwear
Soroti
$44
Kampala
$44 0.5% $0.2
Sport & Entertainment
Soroti
$14 *
Kampala
$66 381% $52
Getting Around
Soroti
$2 *
Kampala
$43 2042% $41
Accommodation & Living
Soroti
- *
Kampala
$158

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23 in Soroti vs $23 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $131 vs $141 per month, with Soroti cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇬 Soroti
🇺🇬 Kampala
🕒 Local time
23:10 11:10 PM
23:10 11:10 PM
Same time as Soroti
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
60,900
1,516,210 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4,273 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.34 USD). 1 EUR = 4,811 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Soroti Kampala 190 km
From you
  • Soroti
  • Kampala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Soroti vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Soroti cheaper than Kampala?
Soroti is about 41% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, transport, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $573 in Soroti and $964 in Kampala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Soroti and in Kampala?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Kampala. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $264 in Soroti versus $262 in Kampala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 enough for either Soroti or Kampala?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Soroti gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Soroti or in Kampala?
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.

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