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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $438 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $704 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $970 in Masindi.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Masindi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

317.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$26.64 UGX 98.8K

60.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.57 UGX 31.8K

23.57%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

27.46%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.50 UGX 1,866

194.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.29 UGX 1,057

224.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.37 UGX 5,065

125.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.71 UGX 10.0K

64.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.76 UGX 2,826

88.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.25 UGX 4,645

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.39 UGX 5,149

17.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.81 UGX 6,713

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

93.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.14 UGX 19.0K

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$4.32 UGX 16.0K

156.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.78 UGX 10.3K

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.47 UGX 5,451

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.73 UGX 6,431

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.54 UGX 5,726

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.57 UGX 5,827

14.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.91 UGX 7,084

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.02 UGX 3,799

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.58 UGX 2,157

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.91 UGX 10.8K

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.51 UGX 35.3K

7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.23 UGX 4,552

40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.13 UGX 7,882

17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.54 UGX 1,995

481.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.26 UGX 952

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.29 UGX 15.9K

-27.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.44 UGX 5,330

-11.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$9,174 UGX 34.0M

236.62%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$8,843 UGX 32.8M

163.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$42.70 UGX 158.3K

92.06%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$14.10 UGX 52.3K

59.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$44.23 UGX 164.0K

-32.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.21 UGX 23.0K

-19.97%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$162 UGX 602.4K

21.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,292 UGX 15.9M

22.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$17.05 UGX 63.2K

113.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$14.49 UGX 53.7K

176.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$39.34 UGX 145.9K

103.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$46.96 UGX 174.1K

89.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Masindi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $171 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 $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $657 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 47% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $438 in Masindi – a 194% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $438 in Masindi versus $1,287 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.