Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Portal and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $398 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $653 per month in Fort Portal vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $908 per month in Fort Portal vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fort Portal is about 69% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fort Portal and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Fort Portal 70% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

$11.73 MX$203

-75.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.94 UGX 101.3K

$41.62 MX$720

-35.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 UGX 32.0K

$10.64 MX$184

-20.02%

Cappuccino

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

$3.52 MX$60.9

-23.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 UGX 1,885

$1.51 MX$26.12

-66.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,173

$0.97 MX$16.84

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,116

$2.95 MX$51.0

-53.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 UGX 10.4K

$4.45 MX$77.0

-37.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.32 UGX 1,197

$1.38 MX$23.93

-76.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 UGX 3,077

$1.89 MX$32.72

-56.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 UGX 4,112

$1.64 MX$28.32

-33.54%

Eggs

$1.37 UGX 5,139

$2.51 MX$43.34

-45.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.30 UGX 16.2K

$8.34 MX$144

-48.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 UGX 19.3K

$8.34 MX$144

-38.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.52 UGX 13.2K

$10.73 MX$186

-67.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 UGX 10.1K

$2.60 MX$45.04

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 UGX 3,161

$1.46 MX$25.20

-42.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,212

$1.90 MX$32.87

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 UGX 5,189

$2.08 MX$35.91

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 UGX 6,014

$1.78 MX$30.71

-10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 UGX 2,737

$2.19 MX$37.80

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,844

$1.04 MX$17.99

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,185

$1.08 MX$18.62

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 UGX 11.3K

$4.08 MX$70.6

-26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.38 UGX 20.2K

$10.32 MX$178

-47.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 UGX 3,044

$1.71 MX$29.61

-52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 UGX 4,267

$2.58 MX$44.54

-56.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,169

$3.26 MX$56.4

-82.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,064

$2.49 MX$43.09

-88.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 UGX 16.1K

$3.25 MX$56.2

31.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 UGX 5,438

$1.31 MX$22.61

10.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$9,032 UGX 34.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-70.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$8,657 UGX 32.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-63.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$42.61 UGX 160.2K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-48.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.50 UGX 54.5K

$22.22 MX$384

-34.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.44 UGX 163.3K

$29.34 MX$507

48.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 UGX 23.2K

$5.07 MX$87.6

21.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$162 UGX 609.4K

$201 MX$3,473

-19.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,251 UGX 16.0M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-18.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.23 UGX 64.8K

$36.92 MX$639

-53.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.01 UGX 52.7K

$39.79 MX$688

-64.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.03 UGX 146.8K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-50.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.73 UGX 175.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

11.42

82.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Fort Portal: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Fort Portal versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $249 – making Fort Portal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Fort Portal vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 226% more than Fort Portal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $596 per month in Fort Portal and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Fort Portal and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Portal, where all-in costs run around $398, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Fort Portal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fort Portal costs $398 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Portal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.