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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $395 in Qarshi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $647 in Qarshi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $899 in Qarshi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 225% more than Qarshi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qarshi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Qarshi 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.75 UZS 57.2K

151.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$21.01 UZS 253.0K

103.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.53 UZS 102.7K

24.15%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.71 UZS 20.6K

111.70%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.45 UZS 5,454

226.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.27 UZS 3,255

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.62 UZS 7,432

398.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.60 UZS 19.3K

1.87%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.39 UZS 16.8K

89.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.00 UZS 72.2K

85.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.48 UZS 5,808

452.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.68 UZS 20.3K

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.71 UZS 20.5K

16.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.23 UZS 2,765

678.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.43 UZS 5,178

141.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.57 UZS 30.9K

54.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.18 UZS 2,117

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$9.43 UZS 113.5K

186.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.32 UZS 3,889

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.19 UZS 50.5K

435.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$31.47 UZS 379.0K

64.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$212 UZS 2.6M

354.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$194 UZS 2.3M

138.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$505 UZS 6.1M

216.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$400 UZS 4.8M

202.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$346 UZS 4.2M

108.51%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $212 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 109% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Qarshi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $55.0 – 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 225%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $593 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $395 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 $43.00 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 $395, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.