Living in Kampala, Uganda

Kampala is a large inland city in Central Region, Uganda (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 21°C over the year with about 1,171 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,411 a month to live centrally. For citizens from outside the East African Community, long-term residency in Uganda is possible, with conditions, with a self-funded route from about $3,000 a month in income.

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Est. cost: €2,411; a month for a couple
Climate: 21°C; 1,171 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 46/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; outside free-movement blocs

Limited data for Uganda. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Uganda are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Uganda, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

Travel advisory. As of 13 October 2026, the US State Department advises against all travel to Uganda ("Level 4: Do Not Travel"). Our quiz and best-cities lists leave Kampala out, and the safety figures below are country averages that do not reflect the advisory. Read the current advisory on travel.state.gov and your own government's travel advice.

Healthcare

Uganda scores 45 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 4% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Uganda: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

Uganda scores 46 out of 100 on safety, safer than 12% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 3.9 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Uganda: country-level homicide rate per 100,000 people (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5, 2023) and Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,411 a month to live centrally in Kampala, 12% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 76% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions, for people from outside the East African Community. Uganda offers a renewable self-funded residency route for people with assured income from abroad (Class H ordinary resident), alongside business/trade and investor entry permits, with a permanent Certificate of Residence available only after about ten years.

Citizens of the East African Community have freedom-of-movement or simplified residency rights here.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Uganda:

Income: about $3,000 a month (Uganda Class H 'ordinary resident' entry permit, assured income of not less than USD 36,000/year (USD 3,000/mo) from sources outside Uganda; as of June 2026)
Investment: about $100k (Uganda Class D business and trade entry permit, proof of investment of USD 100,000 (cheaper than the UIA foreign-investor license at USD 250,000); as of June 2026)

For short visits, 38 of 198 passports can enter visa-free, 159 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 1 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Climate

Kampala averages 21°C across the year with about 1,171 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 59% of the 1225 cities we track.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Questions couples ask about Kampala

Is Kampala a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Kampala scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Uganda are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, wet climate (21°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks 915 cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Kampala?

We estimate about €2,411 a month for a couple living centrally, 12% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Uganda, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Uganda long term?

Citizens of the East African Community have freedom-of-movement or simplified residency rights. Our assessment for everyone else: possible, with conditions. Uganda offers a renewable self-funded residency route for people with assured income from abroad (Class H ordinary resident), alongside business/trade and investor entry permits, with a permanent Certificate of Residence available only after about ten years. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: income, about $3,000 a month (as of 2026-06); investment, about $100k (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in Kampala?

Kampala averages 21°C across the year with about 1,171 mm of rain, which makes it warm and wet. It is warmer than 59% of the cities we track.