Say one job in Kampala pays UGX 1,200,000 and you spend 8,000 a day getting there, 22 days a month. Take-home is 891,750, transport takes 176,000, and you keep 715,750. Another pays UGX 1,000,000 and it's 2,000 a day. Take-home is 761,750, transport takes 44,000, and you keep 717,750. The job that pays 200,000 less leaves you 2,000 more.
How to fill it in
- Gross pay: the monthly figure before any deductions. If you only have a year figure, divide by 12.
- Cash allowances: housing, transport, airtime or lunch paid in money. URA taxes these as pay, and so does this tool.
- Commute: what you'd really spend a day on taxi and boda, and how many days a month you'd travel.
- Other costs: anything this job forces on you, such as a uniform, a second rent in another town or lunch out every day.
What a number can't tell you
A one year contract with a respected NGO can open more doors than a small raise somewhere else. A post under the Government Pensions scheme is outside NSSF, so ask which one applies to you. Medical cover for a family can be worth a lot if you'd otherwise pay for it yourself. Weigh these after you've seen the money, not before.
Ask both employers how long the probation is, and get the offer in writing before you resign from anywhere.
Questions people ask
Should I count NSSF as money lost?
No. Your 5% and the employer's 10% are savings in your name. But you can't spend them this month, and this tool compares what you can spend. Check that the employer really pays by looking at your statement.
Does the tool include Local Service Tax?
No, it compares a month without it, usually November to June. At pay above 1,000,000 it's 100,000 a year. It's the same for both offers once they're both over that line, so it rarely changes the result.
Are allowances taxed in Uganda?
URA lists travelling, entertainment, utilities, cost of living, housing, medical and other allowances as taxable employment income. Actual official duty expenses and medical costs that are paid or reimbursed are treated differently, so a real benefit may be worth a little more than the tool shows.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026.