Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kampala vs Lusaka

Kampala vs Lusaka

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lusaka 15% cheaper Moderate / Moderate

Kampala

Michael Starkie/Unsplash

Lusaka

Vije Vijendranath/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,617

Kampala

$1,367

Lusaka

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Kampala

Moderate

Lusaka

Air Quality

5/5

Kampala

5/5

Lusaka

Healthcare

High

Kampala

High

Lusaka

Population

1.5m

Kampala

1.7m

Lusaka

Kampala (Uganda) and Lusaka (Zambia) are both in Africa, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

The cost difference is noticeable: Lusaka at $1367/mo is 15% cheaper than Kampala at $1617/mo, worth considering for extended stays.

For families, Kampala costs $1504.573249854904/mo compared to Lusaka's $806.9391088542649/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Kampala's 26 Mbps (global #157) — considerably faster than Lusaka's 20 Mbps (#167).

Quality of Life

Both Kampala and Lusaka share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Kampala and Lusaka.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kampala is June (around 27 degrees, 1mm rain, score 393), while Lusaka peaks in April (27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 402). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

KampalaLusaka

Nomad$1,617/mo$1,367/mo

Expat$735/mo$530/mo

Local$430/mo$231/mo

Family$1,505/mo$807/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KampalaLusaka

City Speed

26 Mbps#157

20 Mbps#167

Country Speed25 Mbps22 Mbps

Environment & Health

KampalaLusaka

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateHighN/A

Humidity7989

Quality of Life

KampalaLusaka

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kampala

Lusaka

Jan

30°

1mm388

29°

3mm309

Feb

32°

2mm388

32°

0mm389

Mar

31°

2mm355

29°

1mm378

Apr

29°

7mm314

27°

0mm402

May

29°

2mm355

24°

0mm402

Jun

27°

1mm393

20°

0mm382

Jul

28°

1mm388

24°

0mm402

Aug

30°

1mm388

25°

0mm402

Sep

31°

1mm388

29°

0mm402

Oct

31°

4mm355

31°

0mm402

Nov

30°

6mm335

32°

1mm378

Dec

29°

2mm355

33°

0mm387

Who Should Choose Kampala?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1504.573249854904/mo for families
Peak season in June — 27 degrees, score 393

Who Should Choose Lusaka?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1367
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $806.9391088542649/mo for families
Peak season in April — 27 degrees, score 402

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Lusaka is the stronger pick. At $1367/mo it beats Kampala's $1617/mo by 15%, and the 20 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Kampala Lusaka

ItemKampalaLusakaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.74$3

42%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$26.79$18.37

31%

McMeal or equivalent combo$8.57$3.17

63%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.75$1.81

34%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.07$1.22

12%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.88$1.5

20%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.48$0.88

45%

Water (0.33L)$0.31$0.47

34%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.77$1.34

43%

White bread (500g)$1.1$0.95

14%

White rice (1kg)$1.15$2

43%

Eggs (12)$1.63$1.73

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.53$4.18

Beef round (1kg)$4.35$5.3

18%

Local cheese (1kg)$4.35$9.11

52%

Apples (1kg)$2.93$2.48

15%

Bananas (1kg)$1.2$1.49

19%

Oranges (1kg)$1.63$2.51

35%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.1$1.16

Potatoes (1kg)$1.03$1.23

16%

Onions (1kg)$0.95$1.59

40%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.05$1.22

14%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.54$0.98

45%

Wine, mid-range bottle$9.38$4.9

48%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.06$0.99

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.74$1.26

28%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.55$2.66

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.07$1.24

14%

Monthly transport pass$41.53$30.62

26%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.07$3

64%

Taxi per 1km$0.54$0.62

13%

Taxi 1hr waiting$2.68$9.19

71%

Gasoline (1L)$1.4$1.36

Volkswagen Golf (new)$10,716.62$8,593.28

20%

Toyota Corolla (new)$10,165.48$6,444.46

37%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$52.24$140.69

63%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$57.43$103.74

45%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.07

30%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$59.16$23.82

60%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$14.19$4.78

66%

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.36$2

63%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$192.01$171.24

11%

International primary school/yr$5,074.13$14,061.39

64%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$16.99$12.66

25%

Summer dress (chain store)$21.21$31.12

32%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$49.24$90.18

45%

Men's leather business shoes$59.78$105.64

43%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$326.52$262.01

20%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$160.75$168.4

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,013.26$832.64

18%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$408.57$439.96

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,264.36$10,763.91

88%

Price per m², outside centre$4,819.16—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$162.31$396.94

59%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$19.68$26

24%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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