If you’re independently covering your food, rent, transport, and unexpected bills, congratulations! You have figured out how to survive city life in Uganda, where paying bills, sending mobile money, and managing daily expenses become second nature. However, at some stage, one might ponder: could life be simpler or more affordable in a less urban environment, outside the city?
For many Ugandans in fast-paced cities like Kampala and Jinja, one question keeps resurfacing:
Is life truly better in the city or the village? And more than ever, another question follows: Where can I successfully build and grow my own venture?
This growing debate, city hustle vs the simplicity of village life in Uganda, is shaping how people think about building a sustainable and fulfilling life.
Living in Kampala Uganda: Bright Lights, Busy Days… and Bills
You wake up at 5:30 AM to beat the jam or risk being late. The cost of bread has gone up, but so has your rent. Your boss expects results, your landlord won’t stop reminding you it’s the end of the month, and your budget is already tight. Amid all this, Kampala keeps moving, with no pause or pity.
Yet despite the pressure, Kampala still pulls people in. And for good reasons.
More Job Opportunities – Kampala is Uganda’s nerve centre, the Capital City where everything one needs to hustle out a life connects. If you’re hunting for a job, whether formal or informal, this is where most of the action happens. Offices, businesses, factories, NGOs… even online jobs trace back to the city. And even if you don’t have a place to sleep, the city barely turns you away. The bayilibi (hustlers) are everywhere, finding ways to make it work.
For this reason, many youth leave their home villages to start something of their own. Some even sell off family property to simply raise capital and carve out a living. Such is the promise of the city.
Better Access to Services – Everything is within reach in the city. In a single afternoon, you can visit a clinic, hail a taxi, conduct a mobile money transaction, grab lunch, and even apply for a national ID.
Need fast internet? It’s readily available. Looking for school options? They’re everywhere. Humanity craves convenience, and Uganda’s capital, Kampala, delivers it in abundance.
Exposure and Growth – In Kampala, you don’t just survive, you thrive, getting exposed to new ideas, skills, trends, and connections. If you’re a hustler with a dream, the city will sharpen you, unlike the stereotypical Munakyalo, a term used to describe a villager seen as lacking “street smarts.”
The only way to gain that streetwise experience is to live the city life, embracing its lessons and growing through its exposure.
More Youth Migrating to Kampala, a NewVision Report
Downside of Living in Kampala: The Cost of Urban Living
Still, city life isn’t cheap.
High Cost of Living – A single room in the city suburbs can cost you UGX 300,000 or more, and that’s before factoring in electricity, water, transport, data, and daily meals. Private school fees? They’re another hefty expense. Kampala life might shine, but it comes with bills that can dim your smile.
Stress, Pollution, and Congestion – Kampala pulses with life but also hums with chaos. Long hours in traffic, relentless noise from every direction, as roadside garbage takes its toll. Mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically, the city can drain you. You wake at 4 a.m. and sleep at 10 p.m., sometimes past midnight, throughout the week. Stress and fatigue are widespread, and constant scepticism about neighbours breeds a wariness that makes it hard to enjoy life without worrying about theft.
Also read: What It’s Like to Live and Work in Kampala
The rural life, on the other hand, is gentler.
The Rural Alternative: Peace, Simplicity… but Limited Options
Does anyone remember the times they had to visit the village for holidays? Back then, you had a lot to do, fetching water from the well, perhaps tending a garden, or maybe just soaking in the slower pace. Time moved differently then, and in some ways, it still does.
Lower Cost of Living – If you’re fortunate enough to have land or a family home in the village, many bills disappear. Rent is either low or non-existent. You grow your own food, and cut more costs by harvesting rainwater. Your monthly budget could shrink by half, or even more.
Cleaner Environment and Better Sleep – Forget the city fumes. In the village, you breathe clean air and enjoy quiet nights. Children play freely outdoors, and on clear evenings, you can actually see the stars.
Tight-Knit Community – Villages flourish through togetherness. Neighbours know your name, visit when you are sick, and celebrate your joys. The sense of belonging runs deep here.
But just like Kampala, the village has its struggles.
The Challenges of Village Life in Uganda
Fewer Job Opportunities – In villages, income sources are often limited to farming, trading, or remote work. Feeling trapped, many young people leave for the city to chase better opportunities, as the saying goes, “Ngenze Kampala Kola.”
Limited Access to Services – Accessing services in rural areas can be challenging. The nearest hospital or health centre might be 10 km away. Need an internet connection? You may find yourself climbing trees to catch a single bar of service strength. Schools and banks are scarce and often distant. In emergencies, these limitations can feel especially daunting.
Slower Innovation and Exposure – While the tranquillity of village life is a blessing. You might miss out on new skills, technologies, or ideas flying through city networks. Villages are good, but not very suited for the modern individual still seeking to establish their footing and identity.
Why People Move: The Push and Pull
People leave the village to chase dreams, drawn by better jobs, education, healthcare, and connections. Others flee the city’s chaos, seeking peace, lower costs, and a chance to breathe, as urban life can sometimes feel overwhelming.
It’s not always about what’s better, but what aligns with your life right now. Some thrive in the city chaos, while others flourish in the calm of rural life.
Striking a Balance: City and Village Life
Many Ugandans are striking a balance between city and village life. They work in Kampala, where money flows, but build homes and invest in the upcountry, where life is more affordable. Weekends spent in the village offer a retreat from urban hustle.
In the end, it’s not a battle. It’s a balance, after all, “Home is where you make it.”
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Compiled by Enoch Muwanguzi
