Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $549 in Yiwu versus $729 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in Yiwu versus $1,103 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,044 in Yiwu versus $1,478 in Kampala.

Living in Yiwu costs roughly 25% less than in Kampala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yiwu 60% lower, Kampala 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.82

$2.59 UGX 9,784

8.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.03 ¥201

$26.69 UGX 100.8K

12.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 ¥35.78

$7.68 UGX 29.0K

-30.60%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥22.40

$2.63 UGX 9,927

27.00%

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

$0.59 ¥3.98

$0.39 UGX 1,475

51.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.42

$0.30 UGX 1,150

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$1.28 UGX 4,843

-8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.90 UGX 7,191

25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ¥13.45

$0.83 UGX 3,153

140.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ¥13.28

$0.97 UGX 3,683

104.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$1.39 UGX 5,261

-27.34%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.75

$1.56 UGX 5,910

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.11 ¥115

$4.74 UGX 17.9K

260.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥21.95

$4.81 UGX 18.2K

-32.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ¥87.9

$5.12 UGX 19.4K

155.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.05

$2.07 UGX 7,807

8.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.26

$1.16 UGX 4,383

57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 ¥13.47

$1.39 UGX 5,234

44.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$1.25 UGX 4,707

43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$1.27 UGX 4,785

-36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.23

$1.34 UGX 5,059

-30.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$0.82 UGX 3,111

-25.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥4.69

$0.52 UGX 1,969

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 ¥30.55

$2.71 UGX 10.3K

67.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 ¥74.2

$7.99 UGX 30.2K

38.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.83

$1.05 UGX 3,960

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.84

$2.08 UGX 7,869

-22.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.78 UGX 2,932

-44.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.89 UGX 173.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.12

$0.55 UGX 2,071

147.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ¥2.95

$0.32 UGX 1,208

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ¥59.3

$3.21 UGX 12.1K

175.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.40 UGX 5,299

-8.57%

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

$19.3K ¥129.7K

$7,946 UGX 30.0M

143.33%

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

$18.1K ¥121.3K

$7,949 UGX 30.0M

127.40%

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

$61.3 ¥411

$75.2 UGX 284.1K

-18.52%

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

$8.61 ¥57.7

$12.31 UGX 46.5K

-30.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.18 ¥68.3

$37.19 UGX 140.5K

-72.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.94 ¥100

$59.3 UGX 224.1K

-74.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.31 ¥75.9

$6.44 UGX 24.3K

75.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ¥48.34

$8.02 UGX 30.3K

-10.22%

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

$1,417 ¥9,509

$256 UGX 965.3K

454.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K ¥179.3K

$8,498 UGX 32.1M

214.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ¥357

$15.07 UGX 56.9K

253.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.83 ¥247

$13.60 UGX 51.4K

170.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ¥514

$34.02 UGX 128.5K

125.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ¥490

$46.25 UGX 174.7K

57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ¥3,027

$517 UGX 2.0M

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 UGX 687.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ¥7,083

$1,142 UGX 4.3M

-7.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ¥5,051

$327 UGX 1.2M

130.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K ¥78.8K

$1,207 UGX 4.6M

873.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 ¥19.7K

$987 UGX 3.7M

197.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$588 ¥3,946

$188 UGX 709.3K

213.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

20.75

-83.86%

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

Last update for Yiwu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kampala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Yiwu and $517 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yiwu pays 213% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Yiwu vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $154 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

Yiwu vs Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yiwu is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 213% higher in Yiwu, 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: $451 in Yiwu versus $517 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,417 in Yiwu versus $256 in Kampala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yiwu – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $27.00 in Kampala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Yiwu 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.

Expats usually find Yiwu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Kampala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.