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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $544 per month in Mbarara vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $871 per month in Mbarara vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,198 per month in Mbarara vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mbarara is about 57% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mbarara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mbarara 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

$11.87 MX$204

-76.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 UGX 99.3K

$42.90 MX$736

-38.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 UGX 33.0K

$10.65 MX$183

-17.46%

Cappuccino

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-17.97%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,754

$1.50 MX$25.81

-68.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,177

$0.95 MX$16.28

-67.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 UGX 5,256

$3.03 MX$51.9

-53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-41.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 UGX 1,996

$1.38 MX$23.61

-61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 UGX 4,543

$1.85 MX$31.70

-34.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,247

$1.61 MX$27.65

-13.04%

Eggs

$1.81 UGX 6,793

$2.59 MX$44.51

-30.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

$8.26 MX$142

-48.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 18.9K

$8.37 MX$144

-39.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.99 UGX 15.0K

$10.66 MX$183

-62.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

$2.63 MX$45.12

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 UGX 5,556

$1.49 MX$25.53

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 UGX 6,532

$1.92 MX$32.94

-9.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,683

$2.09 MX$35.81

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 UGX 6,078

$1.86 MX$31.88

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UGX 7,192

$2.26 MX$38.81

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 4,004

$1.06 MX$18.23

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,177

$1.09 MX$18.67

-46.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.8K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-30.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 UGX 32.8K

$10.39 MX$178

-15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UGX 4,671

$1.72 MX$29.59

-27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UGX 7,626

$2.61 MX$44.85

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 UGX 3,016

$0.54 MX$9.30

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,166

$3.13 MX$53.7

-81.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 963

$2.51 MX$43.09

-89.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

$3.15 MX$54.1

35.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 UGX 5,604

$1.27 MX$21.88

18.11%

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

$8,971 UGX 33.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-70.46%

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

$8,729 UGX 32.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-62.96%

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

$42.35 UGX 158.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-48.98%

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

$14.64 UGX 54.9K

$22.71 MX$390

-35.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.46 UGX 162.9K

$29.46 MX$506

47.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.99 UGX 78.7K

$51.0 MX$875

-58.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 UGX 23.7K

$4.93 MX$84.5

28.19%

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

$163 UGX 611.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-17.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,250 UGX 15.9M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-19.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.01 UGX 63.8K

$36.90 MX$633

-53.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.22 UGX 53.3K

$39.89 MX$685

-64.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.82 UGX 145.5K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-51.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 UGX 177.5K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-47.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.1 UGX 371.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-89.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 UGX 307.7K

$477 MX$8,189

-82.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 UGX 998.3K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 UGX 717.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-84.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Mbarara: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.1 in Mbarara versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $250 – making Mbarara 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $816 per month in Mbarara and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mbarara. 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.