Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Cologne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Cologne? 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 Cologne?
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.
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Cologne $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Cologne is $161. 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 Cologne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Cologne $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Cologne $194
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Cologne
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Cologne? 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 Cologne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Cologne $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$3.98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- 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: $128
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Cologne?
Prices for flights to both Cologne 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 $8.36Cologne $54
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$1.59
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 Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner$15
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Donner Kebab$4.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Cologne -
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Uganda Community Tour: $15
- African Fabric Market Tour : $18
- 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
- Safe Motorbike Tour in Kampala (Boda Boda Tour): $30
- Kampala Guided walking Tour: $30
- Free Female Guided Walking Tours Kampala (3 Hours): $30
- Inside Kampala walking tour (Female guided): $32
- Running City Tour of Kampala at Dawn (7 KMs | Sundays): $33
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Cologne -
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Cologne, we can see that Cologne 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 Cologne 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne 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 Cologne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Cologne?
Kampala has a larger population, and is about 40% larger than the population of Cologne. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Cologne, 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.