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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $701 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $962 in Iganga.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 195% more expensive than Iganga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Iganga 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

310.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$26.59 UGX 98.4K

57.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.70 UGX 32.2K

19.66%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

26.22%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.47 UGX 1,729

210.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.31 UGX 1,162

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.41 UGX 5,219

107.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

61.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.76 UGX 2,815

88.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.20 UGX 4,432

58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.39 UGX 5,160

12.95%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.81 UGX 6,713

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$4.36 UGX 16.2K

93.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.05 UGX 18.7K

69.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$4.35 UGX 16.1K

152.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

-4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.47 UGX 5,436

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.67 UGX 6,176

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.60 UGX 5,929

35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.56 UGX 5,789

19.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.92 UGX 7,101

16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.06 UGX 3,941

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.54 UGX 2,012

98.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.91 UGX 10.8K

42.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$9.56 UGX 35.4K

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.24 UGX 4,603

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.05 UGX 7,606

23.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.54 UGX 1,989

492.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.28 UGX 1,039

778.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$4.28 UGX 15.8K

-25.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.50 UGX 5,558

-12.00%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$9,052 UGX 33.5M

233.11%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$8,598 UGX 31.8M

172.09%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$42.37 UGX 156.8K

92.00%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$14.53 UGX 53.8K

54.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$43.25 UGX 160.1K

-30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.41 UGX 23.7K

-19.50%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$159 UGX 587.7K

27.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$4,340 UGX 16.1M

22.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$17.06 UGX 63.1K

108.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$14.31 UGX 53.0K

182.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$39.01 UGX 144.4K

101.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$46.22 UGX 171.1K

87.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.8

-45.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Iganga: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Iganga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $170 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

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

Iganga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $659 in Iganga 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 $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $159 in Iganga. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $439 in Iganga versus $1,294 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, Playa del Carmen and Iganga 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 195% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.