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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $395 per month in Qarshi vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $647 per month in Qarshi vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $899 per month in Qarshi vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qarshi is about 69% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Qarshi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Qarshi 70% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 UZS 57.4K

$11.94 MX$208

-60.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.01 UZS 254.2K

$42.75 MX$744

-50.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 UZS 103.2K

$10.59 MX$184

-19.45%

Cappuccino

$1.71 UZS 20.7K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-52.76%

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

$0.45 UZS 5,479

$1.47 MX$25.54

-69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 UZS 3,270

$0.94 MX$16.41

-71.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 UZS 7,466

$3.09 MX$53.8

-79.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 UZS 19.4K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-1.84%

Eggs

$1.39 UZS 16.8K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-47.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 UZS 72.5K

$11.10 MX$193

-45.95%

Apples (1kg)

$0.48 UZS 5,835

$2.65 MX$46.14

-81.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 UZS 20.3K

$1.50 MX$26.11

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UZS 20.6K

$1.99 MX$34.59

-14.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

Potato (1kg)

$0.23 UZS 2,778

$1.79 MX$31.11

-87.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 UZS 5,202

$1.04 MX$18.04

-58.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 UZS 31.0K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-35.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 UZS 2,127

$0.52 MX$9.02

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.43 UZS 114.0K

$26.97 MX$469

-65.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UZS 3,907

$2.40 MX$41.80

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

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

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

$4.19 UZS 50.7K

$22.45 MX$391

-81.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 UZS 380.7K

$51.9 MX$903

-39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

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)

$212 UZS 2.6M

$963 MX$16.8K

-78.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 UZS 2.4M

$465 MX$8,086

-58.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 UZS 6.1M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-68.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 UZS 4.8M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-66.89%

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)

$346 UZS 4.2M

$720 MX$12.5K

-52.04%

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 Qarshi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $212 in Qarshi versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 109% 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 $21.00 in Qarshi versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $55.0 vs $251 – 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

Qarshi vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 225%, 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 $593 per month in Qarshi and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $395 in Qarshi and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Qarshi and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $395, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.