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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $753 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,118 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in Kampala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 67% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

337.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

55.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

22.58%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

27.74%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.47 UGX 1,742

208.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.31 UGX 1,153

183.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.36 UGX 5,041

116.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

59.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.71 UGX 2,617

101.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.25 UGX 4,629

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.34 UGX 4,944

17.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.76 UGX 6,501

42.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

90.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

73.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

152.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.51 UGX 5,598

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.66 UGX 6,126

18.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.58 UGX 5,827

32.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.64 UGX 6,073

12.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.94 UGX 7,194

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.07 UGX 3,955

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 UGX 1,973

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

38.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.18 UGX 4,351

42.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.11 UGX 7,816

19.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.79 UGX 2,937

-35.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

-37.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.55 UGX 2,029

487.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.28 UGX 1,037

760.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

-23.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.43 UGX 5,285

-7.69%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

233.33%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

174.61%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

93.24%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

57.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

-30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

6.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

149.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

-19.02%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$164 UGX 605.5K

20.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

25.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

105.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

178.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

107.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

92.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$402 UGX 1.5M

135.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$225 UGX 831.5K

110.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$987 UGX 3.6M

66.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$337 UGX 1.2M

259.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

223.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

546.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$192 UGX 710.4K

240.44%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $402 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 240% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $166 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

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

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 240% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $402 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,256 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 67% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.