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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $384 in Qarshi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $647 in Qarshi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $911 in Qarshi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 229% more than Qarshi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qarshi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Qarshi 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.70 UZS 56.2K

149.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$20.76 UZS 248.2K

101.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.74 UZS 104.5K

20.25%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.69 UZS 20.3K

112.43%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.46 UZS 5,492

228.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.25 UZS 2,983

268.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.61 UZS 7,314

385.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.66 UZS 19.9K

-6.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.39 UZS 16.6K

87.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.03 UZS 72.1K

80.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.46 UZS 5,488

489.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.75 UZS 20.9K

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.76 UZS 21.1K

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.25 UZS 2,992

644.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.43 UZS 5,135

153.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.52 UZS 30.1K

66.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.19 UZS 2,312

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$9.46 UZS 113.1K

176.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.29 UZS 3,526

727.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.12 UZS 49.2K

447.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$31.54 UZS 377.0K

67.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$214 UZS 2.6M

356.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$196 UZS 2.3M

140.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$515 UZS 6.2M

220.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$397 UZS 4.7M

203.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$356 UZS 4.3M

89.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $214 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 90% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Qarshi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $56.0 – 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 229%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $575 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $384 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $21.00 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 $384, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.