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: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $698 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $946 in Iganga.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 196% more expensive than in 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

$13.02 MX$221

$2.75 UGX 10.2K

373.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$27.17 UGX 101.0K

70.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.58 UGX 28.2K

66.09%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.58 UGX 9,585

55.04%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.41 UGX 1,511

246.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.30 UGX 1,115

170.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.37 UGX 5,107

122.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$1.95 UGX 7,264

249.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.85 UGX 3,171

101.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.98 UGX 3,642

126.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.34 UGX 4,976

28.36%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.50 UGX 5,593

80.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$4.88 UGX 18.1K

92.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$5.02 UGX 18.7K

76.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$5.15 UGX 19.1K

148.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.38 UGX 8,830

31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.27 UGX 4,733

22.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.45 UGX 5,374

48.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.33 UGX 4,952

76.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.34 UGX 4,990

50.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.47 UGX 5,450

35.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.86 UGX 3,214

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.54 UGX 1,994

120.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.69 UGX 10.0K

72.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$8.26 UGX 30.7K

26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.08 UGX 4,011

46.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.09 UGX 7,778

39.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.52 UGX 1,930

923.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.33 UGX 1,222

1027.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$3.43 UGX 12.8K

68.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.50 UGX 5,573

3.33%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$7,977 UGX 29.6M

180.43%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$8,166 UGX 30.3M

213.15%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$74.5 UGX 277.0K

19.81%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$15.30 UGX 56.9K

52.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$39.50 UGX 146.8K

-19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.36 UGX 27.4K

-31.25%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$252 UGX 934.8K

-11.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$8,483 UGX 31.5M

-49.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$15.25 UGX 56.7K

203.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$13.90 UGX 51.7K

219.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$35.13 UGX 130.6K

171.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$47.44 UGX 176.3K

95.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

20.75

-44.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Iganga: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Iganga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $160 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 196% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $674 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 $222 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $449 in Iganga versus $1,330 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 196% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.