Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Qarshi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Qarshi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $396 in Qarshi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $655 in Qarshi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $914 in Qarshi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 219% more expensive than Qarshi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Qarshi 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.54 UZS 54.4K

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$21.19 UZS 253.8K

120.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.64 UZS 103.5K

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.70 UZS 20.4K

78.24%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.46 UZS 5,459

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.27 UZS 3,263

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$0.66 UZS 7,897

277.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.60 UZS 19.2K

37.50%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.38 UZS 16.5K

60.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$6.20 UZS 74.2K

113.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.48 UZS 5,804

572.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.70 UZS 20.4K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.73 UZS 20.7K

38.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.23 UZS 2,733

591.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.39 UZS 4,695

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.60 UZS 31.2K

63.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.16 UZS 1,910

750.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$9.54 UZS 114.3K

19.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.30 UZS 3,574

246.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.01 UZS 48.0K

237.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$31.29 UZS 374.7K

97.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$214 UZS 2.6M

188.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$195 UZS 2.3M

121.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$506 UZS 6.1M

307.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$394 UZS 4.7M

283.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$355 UZS 4.3M

42.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $214 in Qarshi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Qarshi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $55.0 per month, with Qarshi 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

Phuket vs Qarshi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qarshi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 219% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 43% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $214 in Qarshi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Qarshi – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Qarshi runs roughly 19% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $396 in Qarshi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qarshi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Qarshi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Qarshi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Qarshi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Qarshi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 219% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.