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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $426 in Lugazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $695 in Lugazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $963 in Lugazi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 204% more than Lugazi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Lugazi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Lugazi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.77 UGX 10.4K

323.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.51 UGX 99.7K

57.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.70 UGX 32.7K

22.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

29.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.47 UGX 1,774

221.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 UGX 1,182

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.40 UGX 5,283

110.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

58.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.70 UGX 2,627

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.25 UGX 4,710

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.38 UGX 5,178

18.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.75 UGX 6,579

43.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.24 UGX 15.9K

96.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.94 UGX 18.6K

68.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.20 UGX 15.8K

155.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.74 UGX 10.3K

-5.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.48 UGX 5,579

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.67 UGX 6,297

13.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.55 UGX 5,812

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.58 UGX 5,925

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.88 UGX 7,063

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.07 UGX 4,011

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.58 UGX 2,197

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.91 UGX 10.9K

40.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.51 UGX 32.0K

21.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.19 UGX 4,482

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.11 UGX 7,928

22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.54 UGX 2,027

503.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.26 UGX 965

857.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.28 UGX 16.1K

-24.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.48 UGX 5,571

-11.49%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$9,009 UGX 33.9M

236.12%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$8,874 UGX 33.4M

164.04%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$41.95 UGX 157.7K

97.54%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.11 UGX 53.1K

57.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$43.54 UGX 163.7K

-32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.43 UGX 24.2K

-21.15%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$162 UGX 610.4K

23.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,296 UGX 16.2M

21.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$17.05 UGX 64.1K

116.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$14.51 UGX 54.6K

174.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$38.33 UGX 144.1K

104.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$46.97 UGX 176.6K

85.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 Lugazi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Lugazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $166 – making Lugazi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lugazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 204% more than Lugazi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $640 in Lugazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $27.00 in Lugazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lugazi, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Lugazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lugazi costs $426 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Lugazi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.