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

Should you visit Kampala or Seattle?

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

Should I visit Kampala or Seattle? 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 Seattle?

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.

Seattle

Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major city in the United States. The entire metropolitan area has about 3.6 million residents, making it the 15th largest metro area in the US. The natural beauty, growing economy, and educational base give Seattle a youthful vibe that keep the city young and energetic.

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 Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.


Which place is cheaper, Seattle 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 Seattle is $205. 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 Seattle in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kampala $59
    Seattle $120
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kampala $118
    Seattle $240
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Seattle

Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Seattle? 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 Seattle


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 Seattle Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kampala $2.48
    Seattle $30
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:

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seattle

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


  • Lightrail from Airport (for 2)
    $5.50
  • Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2)
    $15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seattle

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seattle:

  • Arrival Private Transfer: Seattle Airport SEA to Seattle in Luxury Van: $115
  • Departure Private Transfer: Seattle to Seattle Airport SEA in Luxury Van: $115
  • From Seattle Airport - Transfer to Hotel & Homes: $175
  • From Seattle Hotels - Hotel Transfer to Airport: $175
  • From Snoqualmie Falls and Wineries Tour w/ Transfer: $145
  • One-Way Transfer: Cruise Piers to Airport : $28
  • One-Way Transfer: SeaTac Hotels to Seattle Cruise Terminals : $33
  • Private Arrival Transfer In Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) : $40
  • Private One-way Airport Transfer(Seattle Airport To/From Seattle): $58
  • Private Transfer Seattle Airport SEA to Seattle center or port by Minibus or SUV: $195
  • Private Transfer from Seattle (SEA) Airport to Seattle City: $133
  • Private Transfer from Seattle hotels to Smith Cove Terminal : $74

Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Seattle?

Prices for flights to both Seattle 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
    Seattle $51
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 Seattle

Some typical examples of dining costs in Seattle are as follows:


  • Expresso & cookie at Pier 70
    $7.00
  • Cashews at Pike Place Market
    $6.00
  • 6 Mini Donuts at Pike Place Market
    $3.25
  • Chinese Lunch in International District (for 2)
    $21
  • Breakfast at Lowel's in Pike Place Market (for 2)
    $32
  • Breakfast at French Cafe (for 2)
    $37

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seattle

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

  • Secret Food Tours Seattle: $65
  • Seattle Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
  • Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market- 2 Hours: $67
  • Eat Around the World Seattle Food Tour: $69
  • International District Food Tour: $69
  • Street Food Tour of South Lake Union: $75
  • Secret Food Tours: Seattle Pike Place Market: $85
  • Pike Place Market Food Tour: $99
  • Small Group Cooking Class: $138
  • Private Seattle Cooking Class with a Chef in Her Home: $198

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Kampala -
    Seattle $16

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 Seattle

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seattle are as follows:

  • Space Needle Park Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
  • Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Seattle by Crazy Dash: $10
  • Downtown Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $13
  • Seattle Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
  • Seattle Mariners Baseball Game Ticket at T Mobile Park: $15
  • Seattle bakery walk tour: $19
  • National Nordic Museum Entry Ticket: $20
  • Smith Tower Straight Up Observatory Access Ticket: $22
  • Terrors and Ghosts Guided Walking Tour: $26
  • MoPOP Entry Ticket: $27
  • Woodland Park Zoo Day Admission Ticket: $28
  • Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour: $29

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Kampala -
    Seattle $16

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 Seattle

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

  • Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $38
  • Where the Hops Grow! Yakima Brewery Tour : $40
  • Woodinville Wine Country: Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
  • Woodinville Wine Country: Artisan Hill Wine Tasting Pass: $65
  • Brewery and Restaurant Tour of Historic Seattle Neighborhood: $109
  • Bon Vivant Woodinville Wine Tasting Tour : $120
  • From Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tasting: $262
  • Snoqualmie Falls + Wine Tasting: All-Inclusive Small-Group Tour: $263


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Seattle, we can see that Seattle 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 Seattle is in North America, 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 Seattle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seattle 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 Seattle Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kampala or Seattle?

Kampala has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Seattle. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Seattle, 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.