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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $428 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $693 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $958 in Masindi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 194% more expensive than in Masindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Masindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

330.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$26.09 UGX 97.7K

60.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.53 UGX 31.9K

23.21%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

25.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.47 UGX 1,772

221.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.29 UGX 1,067

217.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.38 UGX 5,166

114.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

57.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.72 UGX 2,690

94.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.26 UGX 4,710

49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.37 UGX 5,131

13.87%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.82 UGX 6,818

43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.21 UGX 15.8K

97.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.09 UGX 19.1K

64.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

158.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.47 UGX 5,485

2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.66 UGX 6,204

12.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.60 UGX 5,998

36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.65 UGX 6,174

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.93 UGX 7,234

15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.07 UGX 4,008

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.55 UGX 2,045

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.95 UGX 11.0K

42.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.76 UGX 29.1K

34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.23 UGX 4,592

34.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.15 UGX 8,042

21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.53 UGX 2,000

481.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.26 UGX 965

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.11 UGX 15.4K

-23.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.44 UGX 5,402

-9.03%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$9,136 UGX 34.2M

226.25%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$8,929 UGX 33.4M

161.20%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$41.60 UGX 155.8K

95.38%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$14.39 UGX 53.9K

56.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$43.08 UGX 161.3K

-30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.37 UGX 23.8K

-22.76%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$159 UGX 595.4K

26.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,344 UGX 16.3M

19.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$17.13 UGX 64.2K

109.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$14.41 UGX 54.0K

178.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$38.59 UGX 144.5K

106.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$47.10 UGX 176.4K

83.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Masindi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $166 per month, with Masindi 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 Masindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 194% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $642 in Masindi 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $428 in Masindi – a 194% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $428 in Masindi versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masindi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Masindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masindi 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 Masindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.