Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarkand and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarkand and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $539 in Samarkand versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $895 in Samarkand versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,251 in Samarkand versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Samarkand costs roughly 58% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samarkand 60% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 UZS 57.1K

$4.66 ฿150

1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.24 UZS 208.2K

$46.44 ฿1,496

-62.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.22 UZS 51.0K

$8.68 ฿280

-51.38%

Cappuccino

$1.80 UZS 21.8K

$2.95 ฿95.0

-38.98%

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

$0.43 UZS 5,144

$0.70 ฿22.52

-38.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UZS 3,000

$0.39 ฿12.70

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 UZS 15.4K

$2.53 ฿81.6

-49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UZS 24.2K

$3.78 ฿122

-47.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 UZS 12.7K

$2.22 ฿71.5

-52.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 UZS 4,575

$1.80 ฿57.8

-78.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UZS 19.1K

$2.19 ฿70.4

-27.85%

Eggs

$1.26 UZS 15.2K

$2.31 ฿74.5

-45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 UZS 95.1K

$19.34 ฿623

-59.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 UZS 45.0K

$3.77 ฿121

-1.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 UZS 106.0K

$13.22 ฿426

-33.59%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 UZS 10.0K

$3.33 ฿107

-75.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 UZS 21.0K

$1.65 ฿53.1

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 UZS 19.6K

$2.29 ฿73.7

-28.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 UZS 18.2K

$1.99 ฿64.1

-24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 UZS 5,817

$1.53 ฿49.24

-68.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.17 UZS 2,053

$1.51 ฿48.77

-88.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 UZS 3,035

$1.03 ฿33.12

-75.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 UZS 4,570

$0.51 ฿16.57

-25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 UZS 19.4K

$4.41 ฿142

-63.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.22 UZS 38.9K

$19.41 ฿625

-83.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 UZS 11.6K

$1.80 ฿58.0

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 UZS 24.4K

$2.68 ฿86.4

-24.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 UZS 3,034

$1.43 ฿46.11

-82.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.08 UZS 37.3K

$11.70 ฿377

-73.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 UZS 4,586

$3.04 ฿97.9

-87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 UZS 2,159

$1.04 ฿33.37

-82.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 UZS 28.1K

$13.68 ฿441

-82.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 UZS 11.4K

$1.30 ฿41.85

-27.69%

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

$20.0K UZS 241.3M

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-28.40%

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

$24.8K UZS 299.2M

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-25.01%

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

$38.84 UZS 469.1K

$123 ฿3,962

-68.42%

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

$3.58 UZS 43.2K

$13.82 ฿445

-74.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 UZS 141.0K

$18.86 ฿608

-38.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 UZS 438.1K

$61.2 ฿1,970

-40.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.40 UZS 77.3K

$16.81 ฿541

-61.93%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 UZS 35.6K

$8.87 ฿286

-66.74%

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

$118 UZS 1.4M

$696 ฿22.4K

-83.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,645 UZS 56.1M

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-71.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.54 UZS 236.1K

$59.3 ฿1,910

-67.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.93 UZS 482.2K

$34.85 ฿1,123

14.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 UZS 860.0K

$113 ฿3,646

-37.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 UZS 677.4K

$85.1 ฿2,740

-34.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 UZS 2.7M

$615 ฿19.8K

-63.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 UZS 1.6M

$448 ฿14.4K

-71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 UZS 5.2M

$2,085 ฿67.2K

-79.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 UZS 3.6M

$1,496 ฿48.2K

-80.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,248 UZS 15.1M

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-66.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$546 UZS 6.6M

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-79.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 UZS 3.5M

$534 ฿17.2K

-44.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.07

5.33

314.07%

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

Last update for Samarkand: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Samarkand and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 82% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17 in Samarkand vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $291 per month, with Samarkand cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samarkand is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 82% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $227 in Samarkand versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $118 in Samarkand versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 100% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $539 in Samarkand versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samarkand but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samarkand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samarkand is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Samarkand and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Samarkand gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.