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 $567 per month in Qarshi vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $888 per month in Qarshi vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,208 per month in Qarshi vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qarshi is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Qarshi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Qarshi 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.02 UZS 117.9K

$11.60 MX$200

-13.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.70 UZS 196.4K

$47.11 MX$812

-64.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 UZS 111.9K

$11.88 MX$205

-19.95%

Cappuccino

$1.03 UZS 12.2K

$3.98 MX$68.6

-74.12%

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

$0.53 UZS 6,177

$1.43 MX$24.60

-62.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 UZS 1,979

$0.82 MX$14.22

-79.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.66 UZS 7,779

$3.19 MX$55.0

-79.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 UZS 15.0K

$1.68 MX$28.89

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 UZS 5,136

$2.20 MX$37.88

-80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 UZS 13.7K

$1.71 MX$29.45

-31.58%

Eggs

$1.55 UZS 18.3K

$2.74 MX$47.26

-43.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 UZS 118.6K

$9.58 MX$165

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 UZS 40.4K

$9.01 MX$155

-61.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 UZS 129.2K

$12.81 MX$221

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 UZS 12.6K

$2.89 MX$49.81

-62.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 UZS 19.5K

$1.50 MX$25.81

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 UZS 21.7K

$2.15 MX$37.03

-14.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 UZS 14.6K

$2.26 MX$38.96

-45.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 UZS 5,422

$1.98 MX$34.15

-76.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 UZS 3,063

$1.99 MX$34.30

-86.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 UZS 5,169

$1.20 MX$20.63

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 UZS 39.5K

$4.55 MX$78.5

-26.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 UZS 2,796

$0.60 MX$10.35

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.93 UZS 116.8K

$28.80 MX$497

-65.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 UZS 4,124

$3.73 MX$64.3

-90.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 UZS 13.7K

$1.54 MX$26.48

-24.03%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$67.0 UZS 787.7K

$91.4 MX$1,576

-26.70%

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

$3.79 UZS 44.6K

$25.20 MX$435

-84.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.61 UZS 148.3K

$31.24 MX$539

-59.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.12 UZS 401.2K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-49.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,551 UZS 53.5M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

7.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 UZS 3.3M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-73.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 UZS 2.0M

$390 MX$6,728

-56.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 UZS 4.9M

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-80.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 UZS 3.7M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-75.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 UZS 4.2M

$758 MX$13.1K

-52.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Qarshi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Qarshi versus $1,063 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 111% 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 $17.00 in Qarshi versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $276 – 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 123%, 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 $851 per month in Qarshi and $1,899 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 $567 in Qarshi and $1,266 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 $17.00 in Qarshi and $47.00 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 $567, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.