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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $537 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $865 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,193 in Mbarara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 135% 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

$11.72 MX$204

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

332.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$26.39 UGX 99.0K

58.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.42 UGX 31.6K

24.82%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

32.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.48 UGX 1,794

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.29 UGX 1,080

217.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.37 UGX 5,140

116.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

54.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.57 UGX 2,149

145.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.25 UGX 4,680

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.34 UGX 5,016

16.42%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.79 UGX 6,713

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$4.28 UGX 16.1K

94.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.99 UGX 18.7K

67.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$3.85 UGX 14.5K

182.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

0.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.52 UGX 5,713

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.73 UGX 6,503

8.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.60 UGX 5,999

36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.59 UGX 5,972

16.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.86 UGX 6,994

19.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.05 UGX 3,959

1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.57 UGX 2,157

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.88 UGX 10.8K

45.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.18 UGX 30.7K

27.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.19 UGX 4,473

39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.07 UGX 7,759

26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.87 UGX 3,263

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.58 UGX 2,189

431.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.28 UGX 1,057

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

-27.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.46 UGX 5,461

-10.27%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$8,904 UGX 33.4M

234.76%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$8,779 UGX 32.9M

165.65%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$41.35 UGX 155.2K

96.57%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$14.46 UGX 54.3K

56.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$43.05 UGX 161.6K

-30.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$20.96 UGX 78.6K

152.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.45 UGX 24.2K

-23.72%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$159 UGX 595.0K

26.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,380 UGX 16.4M

18.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$16.91 UGX 63.4K

112.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$14.39 UGX 54.0K

178.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$37.89 UGX 142.2K

110.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$46.98 UGX 176.3K

84.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$98.5 UGX 369.5K

893.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$83.7 UGX 314.0K

462.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$264 UGX 990.5K

525.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$194 UGX 727.1K

521.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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 Mbarara: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $98.5 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $164 – 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 135%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $805 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 $42.00 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 54% 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 $537, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.