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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $266 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $510 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $755 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 373% 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

$11.72 MX$203

$4.63 UZS 55.4K

153.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.35 UZS 255.2K

96.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.06 UZS 24.6K

410.19%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.70 UZS 20.3K

111.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.52 UZS 6,221

190.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.27 UZS 3,232

240.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

193.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.96 UZS 23.4K

125.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.26 UZS 3,115

623.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.59 UZS 19.0K

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.45 UZS 17.3K

80.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$1.96 UZS 23.5K

326.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.90 UZS 82.5K

57.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.72 UZS 8,559

276.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.77 UZS 21.1K

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.39 UZS 4,677

179.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$0.99 UZS 11.8K

323.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.97 UZS 11.6K

71.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.96 UZS 23.4K

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.16 UZS 1,929

237.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.39 UZS 4,615

689.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.23 UZS 2,715

943.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.92 UZS 11.0K

42.39%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$45.91 UZS 548.8K

77.04%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.76 UZS 45.0K

500.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.23 UZS 110.3K

225.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$29.88 UZS 357.2K

77.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.16 UZS 85.6K

-31.28%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$12.11 UZS 144.7K

196.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$10.88 UZS 130.1K

268.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$212 UZS 2.5M

361.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$201 UZS 2.4M

722.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$152 UZS 1.8M

692.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$418 UZS 5.0M

61.92%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shahrisabz: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $212 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 62% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Shahrisabz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 373%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $399 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 245% 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 $42.00 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 $266, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.