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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $521 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $826 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,131 in Mbarara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% 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 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

341.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$26.08 UGX 100.8K

81.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.76 UGX 30.0K

51.42%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.60 UGX 10.1K

58.46%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.40 UGX 1,540

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.28 UGX 1,068

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.34 UGX 5,172

139.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.89 UGX 7,298

274.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.52 UGX 1,990

223.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.95 UGX 3,684

126.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.34 UGX 5,169

32.09%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.59 UGX 6,159

77.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.84 UGX 18.7K

90.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.90 UGX 18.9K

88.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$3.75 UGX 14.5K

237.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.10 UGX 8,110

40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.16 UGX 4,469

36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.40 UGX 5,392

58.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.28 UGX 4,957

84.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.25 UGX 4,826

59.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.36 UGX 5,253

45.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.78 UGX 3,011

58.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.55 UGX 2,142

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.64 UGX 10.2K

74.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.75 UGX 29.9K

35.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.08 UGX 4,155

56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.03 UGX 7,838

36.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.77 UGX 2,980

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.52 UGX 1,991

907.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.32 UGX 1,224

1040.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.34 UGX 12.9K

73.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.46 UGX 5,652

5.48%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$7,861 UGX 30.4M

190.06%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$7,888 UGX 30.5M

227.22%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$73.9 UGX 285.5K

22.69%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$12.57 UGX 48.6K

100.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$37.93 UGX 146.6K

-16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$20.17 UGX 77.9K

241.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.78 UGX 30.1K

-37.53%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$260 UGX 1.0M

-13.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,382 UGX 32.4M

-49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$14.65 UGX 56.6K

223.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$13.84 UGX 53.5K

213.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$34.21 UGX 132.2K

134.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$46.35 UGX 179.1K

97.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$93.6 UGX 361.8K

1059.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$78.3 UGX 302.6K

421.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$252 UGX 975.0K

681.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$189 UGX 728.4K

579.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 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 7, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $93.6 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $147 – 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 150%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $781 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 $47.00 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 89% 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 $521, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.