Which place is cheaper, Wellington or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Wellington?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala or Wellington? 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 Wellington?
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.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Wellington $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, while the average daily cost in Wellington is $104. 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 Wellington in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Wellington $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Wellington $122
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Wellington
Looking for a hotel in Kampala or Wellington? 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 Wellington Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Wellington $12
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:
- 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
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington
Also for Wellington, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Wellington Airport to Central Wellington City Centre Hotels: $13
- Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $13
- Private Airport Transfer: $78
- Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $11
- Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer from Wellington hotels to Wellington Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer with Wellington Dial a Driver: $74
- Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Wellington Airport Transfer to Wellington Hotels and Vice versa: $77
- Wellington Airport(WLG) to Wellington-Round-Trip Private Transfer: $57
- Wētā Workshop Experience with Guided Transfers: $62
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Wellington?
Prices for flights to both Wellington 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 $8.36Wellington $30
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 Wellington
For Wellington, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner$9.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington
For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour Of Wellington: $153
- A Taste Of Wellington Food Tour (half Day): $188
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Wellington $16
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
Tours and Activities in Wellington
For Wellington, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Return Cable Car Ticket: $6.61
- Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa: Gallipoli Early Entry Ticket: $9.02
- Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa Twilight Express Tour: $12
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa: Mana Māori Tour: $12
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Guided Tour: $12
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa: Small Group Guided Tour: $14
- Wellington Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Skip the Line: Staglands Wildlife Reserve Entry Ticket: $16
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Atlantis: $28
- Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $28
- Wētā Workshop Experience and Guided Tour: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Wellington $12
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 Wellington
Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half Day Tour: $93
- Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $96
- 5 hour Martinborough shared Chefs Wine Tour with Gourmet lunch: $153
- Martinborough Full Day Wine Tour: $172
- Full Day Martinborough Wine Tour: $178
- 1/2 Day Martinborough Private Chefs wine tastings tour with lunch: $245
- Martinborough Private 5 hour Food & Wine tour with Gourmet lunch: $264
- Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $361
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kampala and Wellington, we can see that Wellington 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 Wellington 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 Wellington would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Wellington 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 Wellington Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Wellington?
Kampala has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Wellington. When comparing the sizes of Kampala and Wellington, 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.