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: $720 in Kampala versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Kampala versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,475 in Kampala versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kampala 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

$11.96 MX$203

-78.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 UGX 102.9K

$47.38 MX$804

-43.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 UGX 29.5K

$11.75 MX$199

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$2.61 UGX 10.1K

$4.12 MX$70.0

-36.65%

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

$0.42 UGX 1,638

$1.40 MX$23.74

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,072

$0.91 MX$15.48

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,217

$3.21 MX$54.4

-57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 UGX 7,042

$7.07 MX$120

-74.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 UGX 3,023

$1.68 MX$28.44

-53.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 UGX 3,864

$2.15 MX$36.48

-53.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,181

$1.77 MX$30.10

-24.29%

Eggs

$1.51 UGX 5,848

$2.82 MX$47.76

-46.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.69 UGX 18.1K

$9.20 MX$156

-49.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 UGX 19.6K

$9.23 MX$157

-44.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.30 UGX 20.5K

$12.64 MX$214

-58.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 UGX 8,341

$2.95 MX$50.1

-26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 UGX 4,507

$1.58 MX$26.79

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,214

$2.22 MX$37.70

-39.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 UGX 4,806

$2.36 MX$40.09

-47.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 UGX 5,082

$1.99 MX$33.81

-33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,247

$1.98 MX$33.58

-31.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,014

$1.24 MX$21.04

-37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 UGX 2,161

$1.21 MX$20.55

-53.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 UGX 9,976

$4.60 MX$78.1

-43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 UGX 31.3K

$10.52 MX$178

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 UGX 4,172

$1.69 MX$28.70

-36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 UGX 7,652

$2.77 MX$47.06

-28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 UGX 3,165

$0.60 MX$10.22

36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.24 UGX 178.6K

$29.70 MX$504

55.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,132

$5.24 MX$88.8

-89.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,226

$3.65 MX$61.9

-91.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

$5.78 MX$98.1

-43.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 UGX 5,452

$1.54 MX$26.09

-8.44%

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

$7,845 UGX 30.3M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-65.60%

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

$7,825 UGX 30.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-69.68%

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

$74.2 UGX 286.6K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-18.18%

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

$12.74 UGX 49.2K

$25.19 MX$427

-49.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 UGX 145.2K

$31.75 MX$539

18.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 UGX 225.6K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 UGX 24.9K

$29.37 MX$498

-78.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 UGX 30.3K

$4.86 MX$82.5

61.32%

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

$257 UGX 992.8K

$226 MX$3,828

13.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,416 UGX 32.5M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

100.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.99 UGX 57.9K

$47.38 MX$804

-68.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.77 UGX 53.2K

$43.45 MX$737

-68.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.79 UGX 130.6K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-57.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 UGX 179.3K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-49.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 UGX 2.0M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-51.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 UGX 697.8K

$409 MX$6,933

-55.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 UGX 4.4M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-41.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 UGX 1.3M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-73.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 UGX 4.8M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-69.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 UGX 3.8M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-85.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 UGX 735.2K

$773 MX$13.1K

-75.39%

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 Kampala: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Kampala and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 306% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $156 vs $278 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 306% 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: $523 in Kampala versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $720 in Kampala versus $1,305 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 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.