A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Kampala vs. Brisbane for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Kampala or Brisbane?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Kampala or Brisbane? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Kampala or Brisbane?

Kampala

Kampala is the capital of Uganda in the South part of the country near Lake Victoria. It is the largest city in Uganda, with a population of over two million people. This city is very safe and the locals are known to be very kind and approachable.

Brisbane

Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Luxury Tours to Australia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Australia.


Which place is cheaper, Brisbane or Kampala?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Brisbane is $133. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kampala and Brisbane in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kampala $59
    Brisbane $82
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kampala $118
    Brisbane $164
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Brisbane

Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Brisbane? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Kampala


Hotels in Brisbane


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Kampala Hotel Prices and Brisbane Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kampala $2.48
    Brisbane $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:


  • Taxi around town
    $3.98

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:

  • From 3-Day Murchison Falls Safari with Transfer: $2,200
  • Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
  • Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $128
  • Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
  • Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:


  • Airtrain to the City
    $9.91
  • Go Card
    $17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane

Also for Brisbane, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer: Brisbane Airport BNE to Brisbane in Luxury Car: $145
  • Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $35
  • Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $70
  • Brisbane Airport (BNE): Private Transfer to Brisbane Port: $208
  • Brisbane Airport (BNE): Private Transfer to Brisbane hotels: $186
  • Brisbane Airport Private Transfer Service to Brisbane City: $112
  • Brisbane Airport to Brisbane Hotels Private Round-Trip Transfer: $70
  • Brisbane Airport to Sunshine Coast Transfer Service: $56
  • Brisbane Airport: One-Way Private Transfer to Brisbane city: $96
  • Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $52
  • Brisbane Cruise Port: Private Transfer to Brisbane hotels: $208
  • Brisbane To Brisbane Airport or Cruise Transfers: $99

Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Brisbane?

Prices for flights to both Brisbane and Kampala change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Kampala $8.36
    Brisbane $31
Typical Food Prices in Kampala

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:


  • Lunch for 2
    $1.59

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.

  • Like a local cooking Tours: $26
  • Three-Hour Food Tour: $41
  • Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
  • Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
  • Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
  • Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
  • Amazing Race - Food Tour: $103
  • Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
  • Kampala food tour: $205

Typical Food Prices in Brisbane

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:


  • Hamburger Lunch
    $5.28
  • Cup of Coffee
    $1.98
  • Chinese Food Lunch
    $8.26
  • Ice cream
    $3.63
  • Japanese Meal
    $14
  • Smoothie
    $4.29
  • Japanese Soup
    $7.60
  • Coffee & Muffin
    $4.62
  • Morning Mint Tea
    $2.31
  • Veggie Burger & Chips
    $9.25
  • Bread
    $1.72

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane

For Brisbane, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Vertigo Dinner: Dining on the edge!: $165

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kampala -
    Brisbane $24

Tours and Activities in Kampala

Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Equator Tour: $100
  • 1 - One Day Best Of Kampala city Walking Tour: $45
  • 1 Day Jinja source of the River Nile tour: $260
  • 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $150
  • 1 Day Kampala City Tour: $120
  • 1 Day Kampala city tour: $162
  • 1 Day Ngamba Island chimpanzee tour: $270
  • 1 Day Uganda Cultural & Farm Experience: $465
  • 1 day Jinja Day trip and Source of R. Nile tour: $261
  • 1-Day Uganda Rhino Trekking Tour Experience: $239
  • 1-day Kampala city tour Uganda: $171
  • 1Day Jinja Tour & source of the Nile River Experience : $193

Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane

For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Concert Tickets
    $13

Tours and Activities in Brisbane

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Brisbane.

  • Fortitude Valley Historical Crime Walking Tour: $11
  • Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $14
  • Brisbane City Botanic Gardens Audio Tour FREE Ticket: $15
  • Brisbane Dark Stories True Crime Tour: $22
  • True Crime Tour: $22
  • Moonlight State Fortitude Valley Crime Tour Crime Tours Australia: $23
  • Haunted Brisbane CBD Ghost Tour: $23
  • South Brisbane Cemetery Ghost Tour: $23
  • Winery Tour and Tasting: $23
  • Ultimate Urban Adventure | Clue-Guided Experience: $28
  • Themed Adventure Game: $30
  • Toowong Cemetery Ghost Tour - The Original: $32

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kampala -
    Brisbane $51

Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:

  • Entebbe and club,pub and bar crawl experiences: $35
  • Kampala Pub Crawl | Uganda | 4 hours: $65

Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:


  • Evening at the Bar
    $9.91
  • Sixpack of Beer
    $9.25
  • Guiness Beer
    $5.61
  • Sixpack of Beer
    $8.58

Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:

  • XXXX Brewery Tour: $24
  • XXXX Beer Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting: $24
  • City Winery Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch: $50
  • Artisinal Wine Tasting and Local 2-Course Meal: $50
  • River Cruise Brewery Tour with Drinks: $65
  • Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $104
  • Half Day Gold Coast Brewery Tour: $107
  • Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $126
  • Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $131
  • Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $132
  • From Mount Tamborine Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch: $132
  • Gold Coast Full Day Brewery Tour: $134


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Brisbane, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. And not only is Kampala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kampala is in Africa and Brisbane is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Kampala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kampala and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Brisbane would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Brisbane than you might in Kampala.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kampala Expensive? and Is Brisbane Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kampala or Brisbane?

Kampala has a larger population, and is about 41% larger than the population of Brisbane. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Brisbane, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.