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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $268 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $514 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $759 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 381% more than Shahrisabz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shahrisabz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Shahrisabz 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$4.72 UZS 57.0K

152.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$21.42 UZS 259.1K

99.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$1.94 UZS 23.5K

445.88%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.64 UZS 19.9K

120.73%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.48 UZS 5,773

206.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.25 UZS 3,015

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$0.99 UZS 11.9K

212.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.98 UZS 23.9K

125.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.26 UZS 3,164

623.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.68 UZS 20.3K

-2.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.39 UZS 16.8K

89.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$1.94 UZS 23.5K

327.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$7.11 UZS 86.1K

56.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$0.68 UZS 8,173

289.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.76 UZS 21.3K

-14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.42 UZS 5,114

147.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$0.98 UZS 11.8K

305.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.97 UZS 11.8K

78.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.04 UZS 24.6K

22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.15 UZS 1,798

246.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.38 UZS 4,607

726.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.20 UZS 2,444

1100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.86 UZS 10.4K

47.67%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$46.36 UZS 560.8K

76.90%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$3.96 UZS 47.9K

466.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$9.23 UZS 111.7K

221.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$30.12 UZS 364.4K

72.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.97 UZS 84.4K

-28.69%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$11.84 UZS 143.2K

206.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$11.04 UZS 133.6K

262.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$211 UZS 2.6M

356.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$198 UZS 2.4M

706.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$150 UZS 1.8M

704.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$418 UZS 5.1M

72.27%

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 Shahrisabz: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $211 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 72% 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: $251 vs $74.0 – 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 381%, 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 $402 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 239% 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 $268, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.