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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $531 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $867 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,202 in Mbarara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 142% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mbarara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Mbarara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

321.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$26.19 UGX 96.8K

63.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.65 UGX 32.0K

22.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

28.37%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.48 UGX 1,768

206.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.29 UGX 1,072

224.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.40 UGX 5,184

120.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

58.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.53 UGX 1,975

169.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.20 UGX 4,449

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.34 UGX 4,950

21.64%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.77 UGX 6,543

49.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$4.26 UGX 15.8K

92.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.96 UGX 18.4K

67.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$3.94 UGX 14.6K

181.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.69 UGX 9,940

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.54 UGX 5,708

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.73 UGX 6,380

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.54 UGX 5,711

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.64 UGX 6,066

9.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.91 UGX 7,072

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.07 UGX 3,957

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.55 UGX 2,019

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.93 UGX 10.8K

35.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.22 UGX 34.1K

10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.20 UGX 4,432

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.06 UGX 7,630

21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.84 UGX 3,120

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.54 UGX 1,987

481.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.26 UGX 957

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$4.13 UGX 15.3K

-25.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.45 UGX 5,347

-12.41%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$9,122 UGX 33.7M

238.53%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$8,717 UGX 32.2M

167.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$42.29 UGX 156.4K

93.92%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$14.37 UGX 53.1K

56.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$43.51 UGX 160.9K

-31.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$20.49 UGX 75.8K

153.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.17 UGX 22.8K

-19.45%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$162 UGX 599.7K

21.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$4,304 UGX 15.9M

22.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$17.28 UGX 63.9K

110.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$14.02 UGX 51.8K

185.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$39.08 UGX 144.5K

104.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$46.50 UGX 171.9K

91.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$95.5 UGX 353.1K

908.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$83.9 UGX 310.2K

453.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$266 UGX 983.9K

499.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$192 UGX 709.8K

529.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Mbarara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $95.5 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 142%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $797 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 52% 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 $531, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.