Africa

Money, cards and tipping in Uganda

Capital: KampalaEnglish, Swahili, ArabicUpdated October 2026

UGXShilling

Money in Uganda

Mostly cash Cards work in Kampala hotels, malls and big restaurants; elsewhere cash and mobile money rule. Carry clean, recent US dollar notes for permits and lodges. US$1 ≈ USh3,902.24 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: 10% is appreciated in restaurants if no service charge; guides, drivers and trackers on safaris expect tips of US$10-20 a day.
ATMs: ATMs in Kampala and larger towns dispense Ugandan shillings; fees about 10,000-20,000 USh plus your bank's, daily limits around 1-2 million USh.
Paying by phone: MTN MoMo and Airtel Money dominate locally; visitors can register with a SIM and passport. Apple and Google Pay do not work.
Price level: about 35% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Kampala	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work in hotels, malls and upscale restaurants; cash or mobile money for bodas, markets and street food.
Entebbe	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work at hotels, lodges and a few restaurants; cash or mobile money for bodas, markets and small cafés.
Jinja	Mostly cash	Cards work at larger lodges and rafting companies; cash or mobile money for bodas, markets and small cafés. ATMs in town.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Uganda?

10% is appreciated in restaurants if no service charge; guides, drivers and trackers on safaris expect tips of US$10-20 a day.

Is Uganda cashless?

Mostly cash. Cards work in Kampala hotels, malls and big restaurants; elsewhere cash and mobile money rule. Carry clean, recent US dollar notes for permits and lodges.

What currency does Uganda use?

The Shilling (UGX). US$1 ≈ USh3,902.24 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.