Which place is cheaper, Bucharest or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Bucharest?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Bucharest? 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 Bucharest?
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.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Romania.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Bucharest $137
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Bucharest is $137. 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 Bucharest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Bucharest $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Bucharest $126
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Bucharest
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Bucharest? 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.
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 Bucharest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Bucharest $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- 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: $127
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bucharest
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
- Bucharest Airport Private Transfer by Van : $76
- Bucharest to Drobeta Turnu Severin - Private Transfer - Driver and Car: $206
- ATV Adrenaline Race in Carpathian with Private Transfer: $107
- Airport Bucharest Transfer: $54
- Airport Henri Coanda (Otopeni) to Bucharest - Private Transfer - Driver: $43
- Airport Transfer Bucharest - Brasov ,Brasov- Bucharest: $65
- Airport to Bucharest - Private Transfer from Henri Coanda Airport OTP Otopeni : $43
- Airport to Bucharest /Private Transfer from OTP Henri Coanda: $39
- Arrival Private Transfer from Bucharest Airport OTP to Brasov in Business Car: $146
- Arrival Private Transfers from Bucharest Airport OTP to Bucharest City: $51
- Arrival Private Transfers from Bucharest Airport OTP to Bucharest City: $65
- Arrival Private Transfers: Bucharest Airport OTP to Bran Castle of Dracula: $239
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Bucharest?
Prices for flights to both Bucharest 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
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Food Meals for one dayKampala $8.33Bucharest $58
Typical Food Prices in Kampala
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:
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Lunch for 2$1.58
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
- Cooking Class for Typical Ugandan Food in Kampala: $31
- 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
- Fishing Village Food Tour & Luwombo Stop: $102
- Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
- uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bucharest
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
- Dinner at the Museum of Communism - Traditional Food Tour: $53
- Bohemian Bucharest Markets and Mahallas Traditional Food Tour: $60
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $62
- Cooking Class traditional food: $65
- Unhealthy Food Tour of Bucharest – 4 hours: $75
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner: $84
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner - 3 hours: $86
- Private Walking Food Tour - Culture, History & Traditions: $108
- 4-Hour Walking Food Tour in the Old Town: $201
- Bucharest City Tour & Traditional Home-made Cooking Experience: $227
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Bucharest $15
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Walking Tour in Kampala : $15
- Uganda Community Tour: $15
- African Fabric Market Tour : $18
- Amazing Tour Experience with a local: $20
- Kampala Half-Day Walking Tour with Local Female Guides: $20
- 3-Hour Walking Tour with Optional Gaddafi Mosque: $24
- Kampala:Guided walking tour: $25
- Entebbe Walking Tour (3 Hours) with Zoo and Botanical Gardens Options: $25
- Tombs, King’s palace and Gaddafi mosque walk tours: $26
- Steve Kampala Walking tours: $27
- Free Female Guided Walking Tours Kampala (3 Hours): $30
- Kampala Guided walking Tour: $30
Tours and Activities in Bucharest
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Buchaest: Peles Castle, Bran Castle, & Brasov Old Town Tour: $5.30
- A Tale of Bucharest Old Town Walking Tour: $11
- Reptiland Bucharest Entry Ticket: $13
- City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $17
- Bucharest Highlights Walking Tour: $17
- Calea Victoriei and Old Town Highlights Tour: $19
- Parliament Palace Skip-the-line Ticket: $20
- Palace of Parliament Bucharest 1 Hour Guided Tour: $21
- Guided Tour at museum Casa Storck: $21
- 2-Hour Private Walking Tour in Bucharest: $22
- Tour to Dracula's Castle Peles Castle and Brasov from Bucharest: $22
- Communism and History Guided City Walking Tour: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Bucharest $9.17
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
- Kampala Bar Crawl, Beer Tasting and Street Food (6 Hours): $71
Sample the Local Flavors in Bucharest
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Weekend Pub Crawl: $23
- Bucharest Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $25
- Pub Crawl Bucharest Top experience in Bucharest: $32
- Bachelors Party in Custom Bar Crawl: $37
- Private Bar Crawling in Bucharest Old City: $42
- Private Wine Tasting in Bucharest: $43
- From Romanian Wine Tasting Tour: $45
- Pub Crawl in the Old CIty and Rooftop Hopping in Bucharest: $47
- Bucharest VIP Bar Crawl in Lipscani 'Old Town': $59
- Wine Tasting in Bucharest long version: $65
- Bucharest City Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- Wine Tasting Tour at First Wine Bar: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Bucharest, we can see that Bucharest 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 Bucharest is in Europe, 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 Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest 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 Bucharest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Bucharest?
Bucharest has a larger population, and is about 39% larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Bucharest, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.