Cost of Living Comparison Between Iganga and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Iganga and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $444 in Iganga versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $700 in Iganga versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $955 in Iganga versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Iganga costs roughly 66% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iganga 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 UGX 10.5K

$11.96 MX$203

-77.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 UGX 103.8K

$47.38 MX$805

-43.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 UGX 29.0K

$11.75 MX$200

-36.17%

Cappuccino

$2.54 UGX 9,821

$4.12 MX$70.1

-38.35%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,526

$1.40 MX$23.78

-72.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 UGX 1,175

$0.91 MX$15.50

-67.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,220

$3.21 MX$54.5

-57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UGX 7,333

$7.07 MX$120

-73.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 UGX 3,313

$1.68 MX$28.49

-48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 UGX 3,872

$2.15 MX$36.53

-53.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,428

$1.77 MX$30.14

-20.90%

Eggs

$1.53 UGX 5,903

$2.82 MX$47.83

-45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.57 UGX 17.7K

$9.20 MX$156

-50.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 UGX 19.4K

$9.23 MX$157

-45.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 UGX 20.4K

$12.64 MX$215

-58.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 UGX 8,043

$2.95 MX$50.1

-29.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 UGX 4,680

$1.58 MX$26.83

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,229

$2.22 MX$37.76

-39.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 UGX 4,764

$2.36 MX$40.15

-47.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 UGX 5,044

$1.99 MX$33.86

-34.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,220

$1.98 MX$33.63

-31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 UGX 3,310

$1.24 MX$21.07

-30.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 UGX 2,156

$1.21 MX$20.58

-53.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

$4.60 MX$78.2

-41.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 UGX 31.4K

$10.52 MX$179

-22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 UGX 4,043

$1.69 MX$28.74

-37.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 UGX 7,659

$2.77 MX$47.13

-28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 1,993

$5.24 MX$89.0

-90.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,226

$3.65 MX$62.0

-91.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

$5.78 MX$98.3

-43.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,629

$1.54 MX$26.13

-5.19%

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

$7,878 UGX 30.4M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-65.45%

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

$7,963 UGX 30.8M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

-69.15%

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

$74.6 UGX 288.1K

$90.7 MX$1,540

-17.77%

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

$12.29 UGX 47.5K

$25.19 MX$428

-51.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.07 UGX 147.1K

$31.75 MX$539

19.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 UGX 30.0K

$4.86 MX$82.6

59.88%

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

$266 UGX 1.0M

$226 MX$3,834

17.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,638 UGX 33.4M

$4,194 MX$71.2K

105.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.00 UGX 57.9K

$47.38 MX$805

-68.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.82 UGX 53.4K

$43.45 MX$738

-68.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.00 UGX 131.4K

$80.2 MX$1,363

-57.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.46 UGX 183.4K

$91.4 MX$1,552

-48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 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 Iganga: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $27.00 in Iganga vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $278 per month, with Iganga cheaper across the board.

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

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

Iganga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 194% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $666 in Iganga and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $266 in Iganga versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iganga – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $444 in Iganga versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iganga but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Iganga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iganga is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iganga and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iganga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.