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: $747 in Kampala versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Kampala versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Kampala versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 42% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

$11.73 MX$203

-75.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

$41.62 MX$721

-36.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

$10.64 MX$184

-21.15%

Cappuccino

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

$3.52 MX$61.0

-18.47%

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

$0.51 UGX 1,914

$1.51 MX$26.17

-66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,178

$0.97 MX$16.87

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 UGX 5,142

$2.95 MX$51.1

-53.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$4.45 MX$77.2

-38.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 UGX 2,797

$1.38 MX$23.97

-46.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,690

$1.89 MX$32.78

-33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,045

$1.64 MX$28.37

-18.29%

Eggs

$1.82 UGX 6,849

$2.51 MX$43.42

-27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

$8.34 MX$145

-48.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

$8.34 MX$145

-41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

$10.73 MX$186

-61.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

$2.60 MX$45.12

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UGX 5,496

$1.46 MX$25.25

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 UGX 6,219

$1.90 MX$32.94

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UGX 5,746

$2.08 MX$35.98

-26.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 UGX 6,121

$1.78 MX$30.77

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,172

$2.19 MX$37.87

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UGX 3,841

$1.04 MX$18.02

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 UGX 2,013

$1.08 MX$18.66

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

$4.08 MX$70.7

-29.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

$10.32 MX$179

-15.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UGX 4,665

$1.71 MX$29.67

-27.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UGX 8,053

$2.58 MX$44.63

-17.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 UGX 3,248

$0.51 MX$8.83

68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

$26.46 MX$459

56.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,162

$3.26 MX$56.5

-82.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 972

$2.49 MX$43.17

-89.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

$3.25 MX$56.3

27.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,478

$1.31 MX$22.65

11.45%

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

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-70.33%

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

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-63.09%

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

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-49.64%

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

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

$22.22 MX$385

-36.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

$29.34 MX$508

49.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

$51.6 MX$895

-6.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

$18.32 MX$317

-58.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

$5.07 MX$87.8

23.27%

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

$161 UGX 603.6K

$201 MX$3,480

-20.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-16.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

$36.92 MX$640

-53.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

$39.79 MX$689

-64.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-50.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

$87.1 MX$1,509

-45.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 UGX 1.5M

$973 MX$16.9K

-59.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 UGX 822.4K

$468 MX$8,105

-53.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 UGX 3.7M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-40.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 UGX 1.3M

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-71.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-68.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$980 UGX 3.7M

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-84.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 UGX 717.4K

$664 MX$11.5K

-71.26%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Kampala and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 248% 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: $26.00 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 248% less. 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: $395 in Kampala versus $973 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 $26.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $1,297 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 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.