Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Khujand Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Khujand

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $689 in Khujand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,093 in Khujand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,496 in Khujand.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than in Khujand, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khujand 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$5.00 TJS 46.27
139.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$805
$17.54 TJS 162
170.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$200
$5.50 TJS 50.9
113.64%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.1
$1.65 TJS 15.22
149.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.78
$0.52 TJS 4.78
169.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.50
$0.33 TJS 3.09
175.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.5
$1.17 TJS 10.84
174.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$2.32 TJS 21.43
204.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.49
$1.01 TJS 9.34
66.34%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.53
$0.49 TJS 4.54
338.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.14
$1.83 TJS 16.96
-3.28%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.83
$1.84 TJS 17.06
53.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$11.23 TJS 104
-18.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$3.31 TJS 30.60
178.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$215
$11.42 TJS 106
10.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$1.50 TJS 13.83
96.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.83
$2.26 TJS 20.93
-30.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.76
$2.67 TJS 24.72
-16.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.15
$0.68 TJS 6.26
247.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.86
$0.52 TJS 4.82
282.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.63
$0.35 TJS 3.27
465.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.07
$0.88 TJS 8.15
40.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.58
$0.59 TJS 5.48
105.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.2
$2.20 TJS 20.35
109.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$179
$11.46 TJS 106
-8.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.74
$1.46 TJS 13.52
15.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.13
$2.13 TJS 19.74
30.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.24
$0.33 TJS 3.08
81.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$505
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$89.0
$1.06 TJS 9.85
394.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$62.0
$0.31 TJS 2.84
1077.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.3
$5.39 TJS 49.91
7.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.13
$1.15 TJS 10.60
33.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$387.4K
$16.5K TJS 152.3K
38.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$438.5K
$17.3K TJS 159.8K
49.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,540
$46.69 TJS 432
94.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$428
$6.31 TJS 58.3
299.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$16.85 TJS 156
88.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,169
$27.97 TJS 259
145.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$499
$15.99 TJS 148
83.68%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.6
$4.29 TJS 39.68
13.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,834
$82.0 TJS 758
175.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.2K
$5,734 TJS 53.1K
-26.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$805
$21.09 TJS 195
124.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$738
$35.41 TJS 328
22.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,363
$50.8 TJS 470
57.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,552
$56.3 TJS 521
62.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$270 TJS 2,494
302.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,943
$216 TJS 1,995
89.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$518 TJS 4,788
281.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.8K
$430 TJS 3,974
198.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.7K
$871 TJS 8,062
364.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.9K
$550 TJS 5,085
1119.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Khujand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
$356 TJS 3,292
117.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
22
-47.95%

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 Khujand: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $270 in Khujand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 117% 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 Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Khujand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $197 per month, with Khujand 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
Playa del Carmen vs Khujand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Khujand?
Playa del Carmen and Khujand differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $689 including rent). Khujand is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Khujand?
Average pay runs 117% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Khujand?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 in Khujand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Khujand?
Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $82.0 in Khujand. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Khujand – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $689 in Khujand versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khujand but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khujand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Khujand?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Khujand safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Khujand are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Khujand?
Expats usually find Khujand gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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