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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $544 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $871 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,198 in Mbarara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 134% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mbarara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mbarara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

331.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$26.49 UGX 99.3K

61.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.79 UGX 33.0K

21.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

21.91%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.47 UGX 1,754

219.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.31 UGX 1,177

206.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.40 UGX 5,256

116.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

69.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.53 UGX 1,996

160.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.21 UGX 4,543

52.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.40 UGX 5,247

15.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.81 UGX 6,793

43.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

94.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.05 UGX 18.9K

65.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$3.99 UGX 15.0K

167.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.48 UGX 5,556

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.74 UGX 6,532

10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.52 UGX 5,683

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.62 UGX 6,078

14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.92 UGX 7,192

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.07 UGX 4,004

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.58 UGX 2,177

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.89 UGX 10.8K

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.76 UGX 32.8K

18.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.25 UGX 4,671

37.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.03 UGX 7,626

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.80 UGX 3,016

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.58 UGX 2,166

439.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.26 UGX 963

865.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

-26.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.50 UGX 5,604

-15.33%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$8,971 UGX 33.6M

238.55%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$8,729 UGX 32.7M

169.98%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$42.35 UGX 158.7K

95.99%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$14.64 UGX 54.9K

55.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$43.46 UGX 162.9K

-32.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$20.99 UGX 78.7K

142.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.32 UGX 23.7K

-21.99%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$163 UGX 611.3K

20.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,250 UGX 15.9M

24.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$17.01 UGX 63.8K

116.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$14.22 UGX 53.3K

180.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$38.82 UGX 145.5K

106.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$47.37 UGX 177.5K

88.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$99.1 UGX 371.5K

864.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$82.1 UGX 307.7K

481.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$266 UGX 998.3K

517.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$191 UGX 717.3K

539.92%

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 Mbarara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.1 in Mbarara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $165 – making Mbarara 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 Mbarara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $816 in Mbarara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $26.00 in Mbarara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mbarara. 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.