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 $406 per month in Fort Portal vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $635 per month in Fort Portal vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $864 per month in Fort Portal vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fort Portal is about 68% 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 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.67 UGX 10.5K

$11.60 MX$200

-76.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.03 UGX 102.5K

$47.11 MX$811

-44.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 UGX 30.7K

$11.88 MX$205

-34.26%

Cappuccino

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

$3.98 MX$68.5

-33.67%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,538

$1.43 MX$24.57

-72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,098

$0.82 MX$14.20

-65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 UGX 5,251

$3.19 MX$54.9

-58.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 UGX 7,346

$6.79 MX$117

-72.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.31 UGX 1,208

$1.68 MX$28.85

-81.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 UGX 2,990

$2.20 MX$37.83

-65.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 UGX 4,253

$1.71 MX$29.41

-36.84%

Eggs

$1.28 UGX 5,043

$2.74 MX$47.20

-53.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 UGX 18.4K

$9.58 MX$165

-51.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

$9.01 MX$155

-43.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.39 UGX 13.4K

$12.81 MX$221

-73.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 UGX 8,520

$2.89 MX$49.74

-25.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 UGX 2,998

$1.50 MX$25.78

-49.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 UGX 5,485

$2.15 MX$36.98

-35.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 UGX 5,043

$2.26 MX$38.91

-43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,190

$1.98 MX$34.10

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 UGX 2,686

$1.99 MX$34.26

-65.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 UGX 3,308

$1.23 MX$21.25

-31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 UGX 2,027

$1.20 MX$20.60

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 UGX 10.4K

$4.55 MX$78.3

-42.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 UGX 21.5K

$10.37 MX$179

-47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 UGX 3,052

$1.62 MX$27.88

-52.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 UGX 4,097

$2.88 MX$49.60

-63.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 UGX 2,187

$5.39 MX$92.8

-89.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 UGX 1,341

$3.73 MX$64.2

-90.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 UGX 12.7K

$5.77 MX$99.3

-44.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 UGX 5,325

$1.54 MX$26.45

-12.34%

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

$7,827 UGX 30.8M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

-65.29%

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

$8,091 UGX 31.9M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-68.95%

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

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

$91.4 MX$1,573

-16.95%

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

$12.40 UGX 48.8K

$25.20 MX$434

-50.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.36 UGX 147.1K

$31.24 MX$538

19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 UGX 31.9K

$4.86 MX$83.7

66.67%

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

$263 UGX 1.0M

$224 MX$3,851

17.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,692 UGX 34.2M

$4,229 MX$72.8K

105.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.15 UGX 59.6K

$47.10 MX$811

-67.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.11 UGX 55.6K

$44.29 MX$763

-68.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.19 UGX 134.6K

$80.1 MX$1,379

-57.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.35 UGX 182.5K

$92.7 MX$1,596

-49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

11.45

81.22%

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

Last update for Fort Portal: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Fort Portal versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $276 – 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 212% 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 $609 per month in Fort Portal and $1,899 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 $26.00 in Fort Portal and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 115% 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 $406, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $406 versus $1,266 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.