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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $434 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $706 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Masindi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 193% more expensive than 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

$11.87 MX$204

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

322.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$26.94 UGX 101.0K

59.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.51 UGX 31.9K

25.15%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

22.34%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.47 UGX 1,777

219.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.29 UGX 1,087

227.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.37 UGX 5,136

121.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

63.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.70 UGX 2,632

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.26 UGX 4,708

46.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.32 UGX 4,955

21.97%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.76 UGX 6,611

47.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

89.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.88 UGX 18.3K

71.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$4.21 UGX 15.8K

153.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.79 UGX 10.5K

-5.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.51 UGX 5,670

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.71 UGX 6,423

12.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.54 UGX 5,769

35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.59 UGX 5,953

16.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.93 UGX 7,230

17.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.06 UGX 3,975

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.53 UGX 1,998

105.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.96 UGX 11.1K

40.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.73 UGX 32.7K

19.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.19 UGX 4,461

44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.15 UGX 8,041

21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.54 UGX 2,030

479.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.26 UGX 969

865.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.26 UGX 15.9K

-26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.45 UGX 5,453

-12.41%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$9,094 UGX 34.1M

234.00%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$8,938 UGX 33.5M

163.65%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$42.45 UGX 159.1K

95.52%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$14.44 UGX 54.1K

57.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$43.90 UGX 164.5K

-32.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.16 UGX 23.1K

-19.97%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$164 UGX 614.3K

20.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,304 UGX 16.1M

22.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$16.66 UGX 62.5K

121.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$14.52 UGX 54.4K

174.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$39.26 UGX 147.1K

103.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$46.28 UGX 173.5K

93.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Masindi: June 7, 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 $250 vs $167 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 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $651 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 50% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $434 in Masindi – a 193% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Masindi versus $1,271 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 193% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.