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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $430 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $676 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $922 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 7% lower, Masindi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.60 UGX 10.3K

346.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$26.44 UGX 104.1K

78.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.75 UGX 30.5K

53.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.56 UGX 10.1K

55.47%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.39 UGX 1,544

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.28 UGX 1,099

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.30 UGX 5,117

145.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.86 UGX 7,340

265.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.84 UGX 3,308

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.01 UGX 3,964

117.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.39 UGX 5,488

23.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.57 UGX 6,164

74.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.78 UGX 18.8K

100.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

78.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.36 UGX 21.1K

138.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.17 UGX 8,557

33.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.21 UGX 4,782

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.35 UGX 5,322

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.29 UGX 5,079

75.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.27 UGX 4,988

55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.38 UGX 5,447

44.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.84 UGX 3,295

46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.53 UGX 2,078

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

76.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.04 UGX 31.7K

28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.04 UGX 4,078

55.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.01 UGX 7,896

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.56 UGX 2,189

862.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.35 UGX 1,359

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$3.34 UGX 13.2K

72.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.43 UGX 5,625

7.69%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$8,082 UGX 31.8M

178.98%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$7,900 UGX 31.1M

229.84%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$75.6 UGX 297.5K

20.95%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$12.27 UGX 48.3K

105.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$36.64 UGX 144.3K

-14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

-39.25%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$259 UGX 1.0M

-13.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,447 UGX 33.3M

-49.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$14.69 UGX 57.8K

220.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$14.12 UGX 55.6K

213.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$33.72 UGX 132.8K

137.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$47.15 UGX 185.7K

96.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Masindi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $157 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 194% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $645 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 75% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $430 in Masindi – a 194% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $430 in Masindi versus $1,266 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.