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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $540 per month in Samarkand vs $336 in Bukhara, rent included.

A couple spends around $884 per month in Samarkand vs $516 in Bukhara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,228 per month in Samarkand vs $696 in Bukhara, rent included.

Samarkand costs about 61% more than Bukhara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Samarkand and Bukhara are more affordable than the global median – Samarkand 60% lower, Bukhara 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 UZS 54.5K

$4.76 UZS 57.4K

-5.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.65 UZS 212.6K

$15.07 UZS 181.6K

17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 UZS 51.8K

$3.91 UZS 47.1K

9.97%

Cappuccino

$1.75 UZS 21.1K

$1.60 UZS 19.3K

9.37%

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

$0.42 UZS 5,078

$0.45 UZS 5,459

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UZS 3,001

$0.28 UZS 3,358

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 UZS 15.6K

$2.37 UZS 28.6K

-45.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 UZS 24.2K

$1.95 UZS 23.5K

3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

$0.52 UZS 6,256

94.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 UZS 4,926

$0.35 UZS 4,233

17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UZS 19.0K

$1.57 UZS 18.9K

0.64%

Eggs

$1.32 UZS 15.9K

$1.41 UZS 16.9K

-6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 UZS 92.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 UZS 44.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 UZS 105.4K

Apples (1kg)

$0.76 UZS 9,206

$1.18 UZS 14.2K

-35.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 UZS 20.4K

$1.66 UZS 20.0K

1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 UZS 19.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 UZS 18.4K

$1.89 UZS 22.8K

-19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 UZS 5,794

$0.78 UZS 9,400

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.16 UZS 1,932

$0.37 UZS 4,416

-56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 UZS 3,029

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 UZS 4,837

$0.30 UZS 3,595

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 UZS 19.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$3.37 UZS 40.6K

$4.08 UZS 49.2K

-17.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 UZS 11.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 UZS 24.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 UZS 3,016

$0.17 UZS 2,036

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.18 UZS 38.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 UZS 4,539

$0.46 UZS 5,496

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 UZS 2,317

$0.16 UZS 1,896

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 UZS 28.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 UZS 11.5K

$0.98 UZS 11.8K

-3.06%

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

$20.1K UZS 241.9M

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

$25.2K UZS 304.1M

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

$38.86 UZS 468.2K

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

$3.67 UZS 44.3K

$4.28 UZS 51.6K

-14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.65 UZS 140.4K

$10.04 UZS 121.0K

16.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.09 UZS 434.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 UZS 73.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 UZS 34.7K

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

$117 UZS 1.4M

$77.8 UZS 937.8K

50.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,734 UZS 57.0M

$2,353 UZS 28.4M

101.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.72 UZS 237.6K

$14.96 UZS 180.2K

31.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 UZS 474.8K

$30.29 UZS 364.9K

30.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 UZS 858.7K

$60.2 UZS 725.1K

18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 UZS 658.2K

$59.3 UZS 713.9K

-7.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 UZS 2.8M

$198 UZS 2.4M

16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 UZS 1.6M

$101 UZS 1.2M

27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 UZS 5.3M

$248 UZS 3.0M

77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 UZS 3.6M

$121 UZS 1.5M

143.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,229 UZS 14.8M

$628 UZS 7.6M

95.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$533 UZS 6.4M

$300 UZS 3.6M

77.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$306 UZS 3.7M

$331 UZS 4.0M

-7.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.07

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

Last update for Samarkand: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bukhara: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $230 in Samarkand versus $198 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 8% 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 $18.00 in Samarkand versus $15.00 in Bukhara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $61.0 – making Bukhara 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

Samarkand vs Bukhara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $540 in Samarkand, $336 in Bukhara – roughly 61% apart. Samarkand costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $809 per month in Samarkand and $504 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 $540 in Samarkand and $336 in Bukhara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $117 per month in Samarkand and $77.8 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 $540 in Samarkand and $336 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.