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: $1,270 in Phuket versus $391 in Qarshi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $642 in Qarshi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $893 in Qarshi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 225% more expensive than Qarshi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Qarshi 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$4.65 UZS 56.2K

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$20.67 UZS 249.7K

124.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$8.51 UZS 102.8K

2.00%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$1.63 UZS 19.7K

80.98%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.45 UZS 5,471

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.27 UZS 3,275

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$0.61 UZS 7,309

314.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.67 UZS 20.1K

31.14%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$1.46 UZS 17.6K

58.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$6.07 UZS 73.3K

117.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$0.49 UZS 5,874

579.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.76 UZS 21.2K

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.75 UZS 21.2K

30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$0.25 UZS 3,031

512.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.43 UZS 5,161

18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$2.62 UZS 31.7K

68.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.16 UZS 1,955

793.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$9.57 UZS 115.6K

22.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.32 UZS 3,899

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

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

$13.82 ฿445

$3.98 UZS 48.0K

247.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$31.65 UZS 382.3K

93.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

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

$696 ฿22.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$215 UZS 2.6M

185.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$197 UZS 2.4M

128.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$508 UZS 6.1M

310.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$387 UZS 4.7M

286.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$341 UZS 4.1M

56.57%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $215 in Qarshi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 57% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $21 in Qarshi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $57 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 225% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 57% 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: $615 in Phuket versus $215 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Qarshi runs roughly 22% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $391 in Qarshi versus $1,270 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 225% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.