As of November 12, 2026, Uganda is cheaper than Rwanda for travelers: a mid-range day costs about $84 in Uganda against $98 in Rwanda, a gap of 16.7%. Over the past year Uganda has moved more in the US-dollar traveler's favor (+14.1% after inflation, against −5.0%). Rwanda carries the lower US advisory (Level 3 against Level 4). Rwanda is the easier of the two to travel.
| Measure | Rwanda | Uganda |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day | $98 | $84 |
| Lean day | $38 | $33 |
| Comfortable day | $273 | $234 |
| Real change, 12 months | −5.0% | +14.1% |
| Exchange rate alone, 12 months | +2.4% | +14.8% |
| Versus 5-year average | +5.8% | +10.0% |
| US advisory | Level 3 · Reconsider travel | Level 4 · Do not travel |
| Ease of travel | 3.3 · Workable | 2.9 · Rough edges |
| Index score | 48 | Not ranked |
| Best months | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec, Jan, Feb | Jun, Jul, Aug, Dec, Jan, Feb |
| Shoulder months | Oct | Sep, Mar |
The better figure in each row is in bold. Costs are modeled estimates per person, excluding international flights.
Clean, orderly and expensive on purpose: a high-value, low-volume model.
The catchA gorilla permit alone is $1,500. The advisory reflects conflict along the DRC border.
Mountain gorillas at half Rwanda's permit price, plus the source of the Nile.
The catchRead the current US advisory before planning anything: it has been raised sharply. Permits and park fees are in dollars regardless of the shilling.
Source: Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026. How this is calculated.