Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarkand and Bukhara Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarkand and Bukhara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $632 per month in Samarkand vs $506 in Bukhara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,023 per month in Samarkand vs $761 in Bukhara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,413 per month in Samarkand vs $1,016 in Bukhara, rent included.

Samarkand costs about 25% more than Bukhara, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Samarkand and Bukhara are more affordable than the global median – Samarkand 54% lower, Bukhara 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 UZS 81.2K

$7.00 UZS 82.3K

-1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.86 UZS 233.6K

$16.29 UZS 191.6K

21.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 UZS 56.2K

$4.17 UZS 49.0K

14.63%

Cappuccino

$2.47 UZS 29.1K

$1.83 UZS 21.5K

34.97%

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

$0.69 UZS 8,116

$0.60 UZS 7,044

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 UZS 2,217

$0.32 UZS 3,721

-40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 UZS 17.6K

$2.07 UZS 24.3K

-27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 UZS 26.2K

$2.36 UZS 27.7K

-5.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 UZS 12.8K

$1.04 UZS 12.2K

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 UZS 3,834

$0.39 UZS 4,606

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 UZS 19.2K

$1.31 UZS 15.4K

24.43%

Eggs

$1.39 UZS 16.3K

$1.50 UZS 17.6K

-7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 UZS 97.4K

$10.79 UZS 126.9K

-23.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 UZS 51.5K

$3.74 UZS 44.0K

17.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 UZS 125.0K

$8.51 UZS 100.1K

24.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 UZS 9,513

$1.23 UZS 14.5K

-34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 UZS 21.5K

$1.74 UZS 20.4K

5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 UZS 20.6K

$2.52 UZS 29.7K

-30.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 UZS 20.3K

$1.96 UZS 23.1K

-11.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 UZS 5,748

$0.55 UZS 6,484

-10.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.17 UZS 2,013

$0.27 UZS 3,171

-37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 UZS 2,814

$0.19 UZS 2,290

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 UZS 4,720

$0.35 UZS 4,139

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 UZS 19.7K

$2.14 UZS 25.2K

-21.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.32 UZS 39.0K

$4.12 UZS 48.5K

-19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 UZS 11.7K

$1.07 UZS 12.6K

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 UZS 25.1K

$3.42 UZS 40.2K

-37.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 UZS 3,066

$0.19 UZS 2,191

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.32 UZS 39.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 UZS 4,311

$0.30 UZS 3,477

23.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UZS 3,804

$0.26 UZS 3,081

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 UZS 39.9K

$6.17 UZS 72.5K

-44.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 UZS 12.9K

$1.21 UZS 14.2K

-9.09%

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

$16.9K UZS 198.4M

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

$24.2K UZS 284.8M

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

$43.06 UZS 506.4K

$30.85 UZS 362.9K

39.58%

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

$3.86 UZS 45.4K

$4.64 UZS 54.5K

-16.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.68 UZS 160.9K

$11.61 UZS 136.5K

17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.94 UZS 469.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.94 UZS 81.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.22 UZS 37.8K

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

$331 UZS 3.9M

$76.4 UZS 898.8K

333.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,569 UZS 89.0M

$2,348 UZS 27.6M

222.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 UZS 245.2K

$15.12 UZS 177.8K

37.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.23 UZS 508.4K

$29.64 UZS 348.6K

45.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 UZS 899.8K

$59.4 UZS 698.8K

28.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 UZS 699.3K

$59.3 UZS 697.6K

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 UZS 2.9M

$202 UZS 2.4M

23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 UZS 2.0M

$99.4 UZS 1.2M

66.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 UZS 5.5M

$253 UZS 3.0M

85.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 UZS 3.8M

$120 UZS 1.4M

166.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,263 UZS 14.9M

$626 UZS 7.4M

101.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$558 UZS 6.6M

$297 UZS 3.5M

87.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 UZS 3.7M

$341 UZS 4.0M

-8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.31

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

Last update for Samarkand: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bukhara: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Samarkand versus $202 in Bukhara. 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 10% higher in Bukhara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Samarkand versus $16.00 in Bukhara. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Samarkand vs $166 in Bukhara – so Samarkand wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Samarkand vs Bukhara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $632 in Samarkand, $506 in Bukhara – roughly 25% apart. Samarkand costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $948 per month in Samarkand and $760 in Bukhara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bukhara, 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 $632 in Samarkand and $506 in Bukhara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $331 per month in Samarkand and $76.4 in Bukhara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $632 in Samarkand and $506 in Bukhara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bukhara – 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 Bukhara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Samarkand makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.