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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $753 in Kampala versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Kampala versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Kampala versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$11.99 MX$209

-77.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

$41.78 MX$728

-35.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

$10.75 MX$187

-18.42%

Cappuccino

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$3.50 MX$60.9

-21.71%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,742

$1.45 MX$25.22

-67.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,153

$0.88 MX$15.41

-64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,041

$2.95 MX$51.3

-53.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$4.51 MX$78.6

-37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,617

$1.43 MX$24.94

-50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,629

$1.84 MX$31.99

-32.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,944

$1.57 MX$27.31

-14.65%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,501

$2.51 MX$43.74

-29.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

$8.28 MX$144

-47.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

$8.43 MX$147

-42.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

$10.68 MX$186

-60.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$2.61 MX$45.43

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 UGX 5,598

$1.44 MX$25.04

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,126

$1.96 MX$34.16

-15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,827

$2.09 MX$36.47

-24.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,073

$1.85 MX$32.24

-11.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UGX 7,194

$2.17 MX$37.74

-10.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,955

$1.03 MX$17.96

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,973

$1.07 MX$18.70

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

$4.10 MX$71.4

-28.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

$10.17 MX$177

-15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,351

$1.68 MX$29.17

-29.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 UGX 7,816

$2.53 MX$43.98

-16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 2,937

$0.51 MX$8.87

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

$26.04 MX$453

58.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,029

$3.23 MX$56.3

-82.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,037

$2.41 MX$41.88

-88.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

$3.23 MX$56.2

31.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,285

$1.32 MX$23.00

8.33%

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

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-70.00%

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

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-63.58%

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

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

$82.0 MX$1,428

-48.25%

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

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

$22.95 MX$400

-36.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

$30.11 MX$524

43.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

$52.0 MX$905

-6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

$18.53 MX$323

-59.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

$4.98 MX$86.6

23.49%

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

$164 UGX 605.5K

$197 MX$3,438

-17.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-20.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

$35.60 MX$620

-51.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

$40.33 MX$702

-64.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-51.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

$88.9 MX$1,549

-48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 UGX 1.5M

$947 MX$16.5K

-57.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 UGX 831.5K

$474 MX$8,254

-52.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 UGX 3.6M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-39.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 UGX 1.2M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-72.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-69.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-84.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 UGX 710.4K

$654 MX$11.4K

-70.63%

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 Kampala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Kampala and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 240% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Kampala vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $249 per month, with Kampala 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

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

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 240% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $402 in Kampala versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala 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.

Expats usually find Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.