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: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $409 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $648 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $887 in Iganga.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 197% more expensive than in Iganga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Iganga 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$200

$2.53 UGX 10.3K

333.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$816

$24.80 UGX 101.3K

80.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$217

$7.61 UGX 31.1K

56.64%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$69.2

$2.63 UGX 10.8K

44.49%

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

$1.31 MX$23.86

$0.38 UGX 1,572

244.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.58

$0.28 UGX 1,144

207.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$58.4

$1.27 UGX 5,189

152.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$91.2

$1.85 UGX 7,561

170.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.53

$0.79 UGX 3,230

84.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.33

$0.88 UGX 3,575

164.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.24

$1.36 UGX 5,572

5.88%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.78

$1.57 UGX 6,397

56.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$140

$4.38 UGX 17.9K

75.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$144

$4.69 UGX 19.1K

68.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$233

$5.00 UGX 20.4K

156.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$53.1

$2.19 UGX 8,927

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.87

$1.29 UGX 5,277

10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.66

$1.30 UGX 5,297

97.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.88

$1.17 UGX 4,760

82.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.42

$1.22 UGX 4,980

59.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.22

$1.21 UGX 4,948

60.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.94

$0.79 UGX 3,215

45.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.21

$0.53 UGX 2,178

130.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.6

$2.45 UGX 9,987

78.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$179

$7.59 UGX 31.0K

29.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.97

$1.06 UGX 4,328

45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.40

$1.95 UGX 7,945

39.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$499

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$89.4

$0.49 UGX 1,981

902.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$64.1

$0.32 UGX 1,326

1000.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

$3.12 UGX 12.8K

82.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$28.01

$1.38 UGX 5,655

11.59%

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

$21.2K MX$386.3K

$7,518 UGX 30.7M

182.53%

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

$24.5K MX$445.4K

$7,389 UGX 30.2M

231.40%

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

$83.6 MX$1,521

$69.7 UGX 284.7K

19.94%

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

$24.03 MX$437

$11.95 UGX 48.8K

101.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$534

$35.23 UGX 143.9K

-16.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,180

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$536

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$92.5

$7.53 UGX 30.8K

-32.40%

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

$208 MX$3,778

$255 UGX 1.0M

-18.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.6K

$8,186 UGX 33.4M

-50.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$810

$14.13 UGX 57.7K

215.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$765

$12.89 UGX 52.6K

226.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,374

$32.60 UGX 133.1K

131.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,662

$43.10 UGX 176.0K

112.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,007

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$73.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$113.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

20.75

-44.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Iganga: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Iganga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $150 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Playa del Carmen and $614 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 $208 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 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 $25.00 versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $409 in Iganga versus $1,215 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 197% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.