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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $632 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,023 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,413 in Samarkand, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 106% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Samarkand 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$6.91 UZS 81.2K

73.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$19.86 UZS 233.6K

138.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.78 UZS 56.2K

145.82%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.47 UZS 29.1K

66.80%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.69 UZS 8,116

102.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.19 UZS 2,217

378.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.50 UZS 17.6K

114.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.23 UZS 26.2K

217.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.08 UZS 12.8K

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.33 UZS 3,834

551.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.63 UZS 19.2K

8.59%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.39 UZS 16.3K

102.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.28 UZS 97.4K

11.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.38 UZS 51.5K

110.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.63 UZS 125.0K

18.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.81 UZS 9,513

264.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.83 UZS 21.5K

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.75 UZS 20.6K

26.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.73 UZS 20.3K

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.49 UZS 5,748

306.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.17 UZS 2,013

1064.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.24 UZS 2,814

416.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.40 UZS 4,720

202.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.67 UZS 19.7K

175.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$3.32 UZS 39.0K

216.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.99 UZS 11.7K

70.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.14 UZS 25.1K

29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.26 UZS 3,066

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$3.32 UZS 39.1K

794.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.37 UZS 4,311

1316.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.32 UZS 3,804

1040.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.40 UZS 39.9K

70.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.10 UZS 12.9K

40.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$16.9K UZS 198.4M

35.14%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$24.2K UZS 284.8M

6.58%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$43.06 UZS 506.4K

110.57%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$3.86 UZS 45.4K

552.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$13.68 UZS 160.9K

132.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$39.94 UZS 469.7K

72.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.94 UZS 81.6K

323.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.22 UZS 37.8K

50.93%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$331 UZS 3.9M

-31.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,569 UZS 89.0M

-44.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$20.85 UZS 245.2K

127.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$43.23 UZS 508.4K

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$76.5 UZS 899.8K

4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$59.5 UZS 699.3K

53.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$250 UZS 2.9M

334.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$166 UZS 2.0M

146.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$469 UZS 5.5M

320.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$319 UZS 3.8M

301.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,263 UZS 14.9M

220.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$558 UZS 6.6M

1101.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$311 UZS 3.7M

148.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

23.31

-50.88%

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 Samarkand: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $250 in Samarkand. 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 149% 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 $20.00 in Samarkand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $159 – making Samarkand 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 Samarkand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 106%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $948 in Samarkand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samarkand, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $632 in Samarkand. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 795% less in Samarkand. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samarkand, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Samarkand it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samarkand – 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 Samarkand. 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.