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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $396 in Qarshi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $655 in Qarshi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $914 in Qarshi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 221% 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

$11.87 MX$204

$4.54 UZS 54.4K

161.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.19 UZS 253.8K

102.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.64 UZS 103.5K

23.26%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.70 UZS 20.4K

102.94%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.46 UZS 5,459

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.27 UZS 3,263

251.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.66 UZS 7,897

359.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.60 UZS 19.2K

0.63%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.38 UZS 16.5K

87.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.20 UZS 74.2K

71.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.48 UZS 5,804

447.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.70 UZS 20.4K

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.73 UZS 20.7K

10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.23 UZS 2,733

708.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.39 UZS 4,695

179.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.60 UZS 31.2K

59.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.16 UZS 1,910

237.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$9.54 UZS 114.3K

182.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.30 UZS 3,574

736.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.01 UZS 48.0K

466.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$31.29 UZS 374.7K

62.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$214 UZS 2.6M

345.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$195 UZS 2.3M

144.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$506 UZS 6.1M

225.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$394 UZS 4.7M

210.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$355 UZS 4.3M

87.74%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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 88% 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: $250 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 221%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $594 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $396 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 $396, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.