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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $720 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,098 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,475 in Kampala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 81% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kampala 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

354.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$26.64 UGX 102.9K

77.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.64 UGX 29.5K

53.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.61 UGX 10.1K

57.85%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.42 UGX 1,638

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.28 UGX 1,072

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.35 UGX 5,217

137.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.82 UGX 7,042

288.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.78 UGX 3,023

115.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.00 UGX 3,864

115.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.34 UGX 5,181

32.09%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.51 UGX 5,848

86.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.69 UGX 18.1K

96.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.09 UGX 19.6K

81.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$5.30 UGX 20.5K

138.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.16 UGX 8,341

36.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.17 UGX 4,507

35.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.35 UGX 5,214

64.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.24 UGX 4,806

90.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.32 UGX 5,082

50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.36 UGX 5,247

45.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.78 UGX 3,014

58.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.56 UGX 2,161

116.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.58 UGX 9,976

78.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.10 UGX 31.3K

29.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.08 UGX 4,172

56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.98 UGX 7,652

39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.82 UGX 3,165

-26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$46.24 UGX 178.6K

-35.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.55 UGX 2,132

852.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.32 UGX 1,226

1040.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

77.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.41 UGX 5,452

9.22%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$7,845 UGX 30.3M

190.67%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$7,825 UGX 30.2M

229.86%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$74.2 UGX 286.6K

22.21%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$12.74 UGX 49.2K

97.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$37.59 UGX 145.2K

-15.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$58.4 UGX 225.6K

17.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.45 UGX 24.9K

355.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.84 UGX 30.3K

-38.01%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$257 UGX 992.8K

-12.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,416 UGX 32.5M

-50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$14.99 UGX 57.9K

216.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$13.77 UGX 53.2K

215.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$33.79 UGX 130.6K

137.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$46.41 UGX 179.3K

96.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$523 UGX 2.0M

107.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$181 UGX 697.8K

126.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,149 UGX 4.4M

71.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$335 UGX 1.3M

282.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,250 UGX 4.8M

223.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$983 UGX 3.8M

582.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$190 UGX 735.2K

306.36%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kampala: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $523 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 306% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $156 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 306% 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $523 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $720 in Kampala versus $1,305 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 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.