Prime
The least and most expensive towns across Uganda
A commercial plot on Mbarara High Street costs between Shs400m- and Shs3b. PHOTO BY RAJAB MUKOMBOZI
What you need to know:
One of man’s most innate needs is to provide a habitat for himself and his offspring. So it is not surprising that most people dream of owning land and building a house. Outside Kampala, owning land and building a home is just as much a dream as it is in Kampala. we found out what it would take to take one’s first step to this dream.
It goes without saying that land in up country towns cannot be as expensive as it is in the capital city. Homes found out the prices of land in selected towns around Uganda from locals, brokers and land owners by looking at the cost of a standard plot of 50X100 ft. in both the residential and the commercial areas of these municipalities.
Jinja
Of the upcountry towns considered, Jinja is to be the nearest to Kampala and way back in the days, it was an industrial town. However the price of land is still affordable. At Shs150m, you can get a prime plot of land right in the middle of the municipality on its most prestigious Main Street. On the other roads like Oboja and Iganga, the price can be slightly cheaper since they are not as commercial-oriented as Jinja Road.
Away from the town centre, you can get a plot of land in areas like Walukuba, which is about 2 Km away at Shs7m-Shs10m while in places that are a little further like Mpumudde and Bugembe, a standard residential plot will go Shs5m- Shs8m.
The rich stay nearer the centre in places like Magwa and Kiira Road where a plot goes for Shs15m.
Gulu
Being furthest from the city centre however does not seem to affect he prices of land in Gulu Municipality. With the war just a few years gone, commercial land is just as expensive as it is in Jinja, many miles away. On the commercial streets of Acholi Road, Queen’s Avenue, Labwor and Main Street, the price of a standard plot is at Shs140-Shs170m. But the price of land in the upmarket residential areas of Senior Quarters is even much more expensive than in town at Shs200m-Shs400m for an open plot! The ordinaries in Gulu municipality stay in Pece-Tegwana, Kirombe, Kanyagoga, Kasubi and Kabedopong where a plot of land goes for Shs10m-Shs30m.
Arua
The price of land is not very different from Gulu, although it is a bit cheaper. On Inzikuru Street, a 50X100 ft. plot goes for Shs100m while on other major roads like Commercial and Transport Road which are in the business area, a plot goes for Shs10m.
The walthy of Arua stay in Anyafio located in Mvara, and a plot of land there goes for Shs80m. The next social class stays in the areas of Ediofe and Onduparaka and a plot of land here goes for Shs10- Shs15m. In Awindidri along Packwach-Kampala Road but still in the municipality, a standard plot goes for Shs8-Shs12m.
Mbale
Commercial roads in Mbale include Republic Street, Naboa Raod and Cathedral Avenue and a prime plot of land here goes for Shs300-Shs350m. This price also applies to plots on Kumi Road and Paliisa Road.
The who’s who of Mbale stay in Senior Quarters and most plots there are 100X200 ft. going for Shs150m. To correctly compare them with plush residential areas in other towns means this cost should be divided by four to give about Shs 40m for the same are
The other residential areas in the municipality include Malukhu and Half-London where a plot goes for Shs20m-Shs30 m while in Nkoma, a 50X100 ft plot of land goes for Shs15-Shs20m.
Masaka
In Masaka, we have Elgin Road and Hobbert Street and a prime commercial plot costs about Shs100m-Shs150m. But available plots are few as most of them have buildings. Those that have old-fashioned buildings may cost about Shs300m but when it comes to the grandiose new buildings in the city centre, a building will go for more than Shs1bn.
Worth noting here is that most if not all the buildings in Masaka are owned by residents (people they know) and not investors outside the district, something that is attributed to the rich coffee farmer and cattle-keepers around Masaka.
The rich stay in New Kumbu, Soweto and Kizungu areas where a plot goes for Shs30m and ordinary folks have built in Kyabakuza, Nyendo and Kimaanya where a plot goes for Shs5m-Shs10m.
Soroti
If you are looking to invest in Soroti, a standard commercial plot on the prestigious Solot Avenue or Gweri Road will cost you Shs20-Shs25m. But recently, Crane Bank is rumoured to have bought expensively at over Shs100m something that locals believe is going to start a precedent of the price of land rising in the centre.
It seems most towns have a high-class suburb called Senior Quarters, an area that housed the first colonial district officials later turning into a high-class residential suburb. Soroti is no different and a plot there goes for Shs10m-Shs15m.
In Kamuswahili where the ordinary folks stay, still in the municipality, a plot goes for Shs8m-Shs13m.
Bushenyi
Along Bushenyi’s Liberation Road and Main Street (a name that seems to be in every town as well) a plot goes for Shs20m while a high-class residential plot in Tank Hill costs between Shs15m-Shs20m. In the upcoming residential areas of Kitooke and Bwatoogo, a plot goes for Shs15m-Shs20m.
Fort Portal
Right in the middle of Fort Portal Town, the likes of Boma Hill, plots are divided inot 100X100 ft. and this will cost you Shs80m-Shs100m. On average, it means a standard plot will cost Shs40-Shs50m.
On the peripheries of the municipality which is mostly residential, a plot goes for Shs10-Shs15m.
Bugiri
Unbelievably, a prime plot of land in Bugiri town (places like Naluwerere and Busanzi) goes for Shs1m! This takes the cake for the cheapest town of those investigated. A residential plot goes for about the same amount but interestingly, the rich, sons of the soil in Kampala, have built in places like Muyenga and Ndifakulya and a plot there goes for Shs4-Shs6m.
Kamuli
Here a commercial plot goes for Shs10m while the rich stay in Kamuli Estate where a plot costs between Shs5m-Shs8m. On average, other plots in the municipality will go for Shs5m.
Iganga
The cost of land in Iganga is not very different from that in Kamuli and a commercial plot goes for Shs12m while a residential plot costs Shs3m- Shs5m right in the municipality.
Kabale
High Street is the most sought-after commercial road in Kabale and on average plots are sold in dimensions of 100X100 ft. and a plot goes for Shs200m- Shs250m, meaning that in comparison to other towns, a plot goes for Shs 100m-Shs130m on average.
In Makanga Hill which is the most expensive residential suburb, plots are also sold in dimensions of 100X100ft and one such goes for Shs130m-Shs150m meaning that an area of 50X100 ft is at Shs65-Shs80m.
The less-expensive suburbs of Butobere, Mwanjari and Bugongi go for Shs20-Shs50m.
Mbarara
On the prestigious Mbarara High Street, a prime empty plot costs anywhere between Shs400m-Shs3bn while the same standard plot will go for Shs200-Shs300m on Markahansingh or Market Streets.
Previously Kakyeka was the most sought-after residential area by the rich and famous of Mbarara with a plot going for 15-25m. However, in the recent past, many other areas are becoming homes to the high profile people of Mbarara. These include Ruhaaro, Kakoba, Makenke and Kamukuzi. A residential plot of land in these places will cost between Shs15-Shs30m. And if you cannot afford this, you can still buy yourself a residential plot in Nyamitanga at Shs7m-Shs10m.
Clearly, Bugiri is the least expensive town in the country while commercial land is most expensive in Mbarara, followed by Mbale, Gulu, Masaka, Jinja, Kabale and Arua. Again Gulu has the most expensive residential areas both for the rich and the ordinary folks, and on average, is the most expensive town in Uganda.
