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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $747 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,128 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,508 in Kampala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 74% more expensive than Kampala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

315.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$26.26 UGX 98.7K

58.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.39 UGX 31.5K

26.82%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.87 UGX 10.8K

22.65%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.51 UGX 1,914

196.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.31 UGX 1,178

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.37 UGX 5,142

115.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.74 UGX 2,797

86.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.25 UGX 4,690

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.34 UGX 5,045

22.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.82 UGX 6,849

37.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

94.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.92 UGX 18.5K

69.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.15 UGX 15.6K

158.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.73 UGX 10.3K

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.46 UGX 5,496

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.65 UGX 6,219

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.53 UGX 5,746

35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.63 UGX 6,121

9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.91 UGX 7,172

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.02 UGX 3,841

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.54 UGX 2,013

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.89 UGX 10.9K

41.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.75 UGX 32.9K

17.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.24 UGX 4,665

37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.14 UGX 8,053

20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.86 UGX 3,248

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$41.33 UGX 155.4K

-35.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.58 UGX 2,162

462.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.26 UGX 972

857.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.13 UGX 15.5K

-21.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.46 UGX 5,478

-10.27%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$8,985 UGX 33.8M

237.00%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$8,649 UGX 32.5M

170.89%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$41.73 UGX 156.9K

98.59%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$14.10 UGX 53.0K

57.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$43.81 UGX 164.8K

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$48.49 UGX 182.4K

6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.56 UGX 28.4K

142.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.25 UGX 23.5K

-18.88%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$161 UGX 603.6K

25.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,373 UGX 16.4M

19.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$17.20 UGX 64.7K

114.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$14.21 UGX 53.4K

180.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$39.06 UGX 146.9K

100.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$47.64 UGX 179.1K

82.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$395 UGX 1.5M

146.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$219 UGX 822.4K

113.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$982 UGX 3.7M

67.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$347 UGX 1.3M

252.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,231 UGX 4.6M

220.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$980 UGX 3.7M

563.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$191 UGX 717.4K

248.00%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Kampala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $395 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 248% 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 $26.00 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 248% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $395 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 $26.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Kampala versus $1,297 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 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.