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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $265 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $520 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $774 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 379% more than Shahrisabz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shahrisabz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shahrisabz 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.75 UZS 56.9K

149.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$20.80 UZS 249.1K

106.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$2.01 UZS 24.1K

429.85%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.67 UZS 20.0K

106.59%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.48 UZS 5,716

212.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.27 UZS 3,261

251.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

197.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.02 UZS 24.2K

128.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.26 UZS 3,126

611.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.68 UZS 20.1K

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.46 UZS 17.5K

77.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.04 UZS 24.4K

310.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.82 UZS 81.7K

56.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.73 UZS 8,740

260.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.68 UZS 20.2K

-11.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

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

$0.40 UZS 4,774

172.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$0.99 UZS 11.8K

319.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.94 UZS 23.3K

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.19 UZS 2,323

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.39 UZS 4,667

702.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.18 UZS 2,213

1294.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.94 UZS 11.3K

35.11%

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

$47.04 UZS 563.3K

76.45%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.99 UZS 47.7K

469.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.13 UZS 109.4K

222.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$30.54 UZS 365.8K

66.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.10 UZS 85.0K

-30.56%

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

$12.15 UZS 145.5K

203.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$11.16 UZS 133.7K

257.44%

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

$215 UZS 2.6M

345.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$198 UZS 2.4M

730.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$153 UZS 1.8M

701.91%

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

$416 UZS 5.0M

60.20%

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 Shahrisabz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $215 in Shahrisabz. 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 60% 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 Shahrisabz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $73.0 – making Shahrisabz 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 Shahrisabz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 379%, 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 $398 in Shahrisabz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 241% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $21.00 in Shahrisabz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shahrisabz, where all-in costs run around $265, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Shahrisabz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shahrisabz – 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 Shahrisabz. 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.