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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $567 in Qarshi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Qarshi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,208 in Qarshi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 123% more than Qarshi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qarshi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Qarshi 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.02 UZS 117.9K

15.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$16.70 UZS 196.4K

182.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.51 UZS 111.9K

24.92%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.03 UZS 12.2K

286.41%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.53 UZS 6,177

169.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.17 UZS 1,979

382.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.66 UZS 7,779

383.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.28 UZS 15.0K

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.44 UZS 5,136

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.17 UZS 13.7K

46.15%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.55 UZS 18.3K

76.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.08 UZS 118.6K

-4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.44 UZS 40.4K

161.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.98 UZS 129.2K

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.07 UZS 12.6K

170.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.66 UZS 19.5K

-9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.84 UZS 21.7K

16.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.24 UZS 14.6K

82.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.46 UZS 5,422

330.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.26 UZS 3,063

665.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.44 UZS 5,169

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.36 UZS 39.5K

35.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.24 UZS 2,796

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$9.93 UZS 116.8K

190.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.35 UZS 4,124

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.17 UZS 13.7K

31.62%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$67.0 UZS 787.7K

36.43%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$3.79 UZS 44.6K

564.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$12.61 UZS 148.3K

147.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$34.12 UZS 401.2K

96.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,551 UZS 53.5M

-7.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$277 UZS 3.3M

283.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$171 UZS 2.0M

128.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$417 UZS 4.9M

415.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$314 UZS 3.7M

305.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$359 UZS 4.2M

111.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 in Qarshi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 111% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Qarshi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $144 – making Qarshi 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 Qarshi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 123%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $851 in Qarshi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qarshi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $567 in Qarshi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Qarshi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qarshi, where all-in costs run around $567, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Qarshi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qarshi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Qarshi. 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.