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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $539 per month in Samarkand vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $895 per month in Samarkand vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,251 per month in Samarkand vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Samarkand is about 57% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Samarkand and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Samarkand 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 UZS 57.1K

$11.67 MX$202

-59.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.24 UZS 208.2K

$41.88 MX$726

-58.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.22 UZS 51.0K

$10.40 MX$180

-59.42%

Cappuccino

$1.80 UZS 21.8K

$3.61 MX$62.6

-50.14%

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

$0.43 UZS 5,144

$1.47 MX$25.45

-70.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UZS 3,000

$0.91 MX$15.80

-72.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 UZS 15.4K

$3.03 MX$52.6

-57.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UZS 24.2K

$4.47 MX$77.4

-55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 UZS 12.7K

$1.38 MX$23.83

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 UZS 4,575

$1.84 MX$31.93

-79.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UZS 19.1K

$1.61 MX$27.82

-1.86%

Eggs

$1.26 UZS 15.2K

$2.57 MX$44.52

-50.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 UZS 95.1K

$8.49 MX$147

-7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 UZS 45.0K

$8.49 MX$147

-56.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 UZS 106.0K

$10.99 MX$190

-20.11%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 UZS 10.0K

$2.73 MX$47.25

-69.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 UZS 21.0K

$1.50 MX$25.92

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 UZS 19.6K

$1.96 MX$33.93

-16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 UZS 18.2K

$2.12 MX$36.70

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 UZS 5,817

$1.86 MX$32.30

-74.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.17 UZS 2,053

$2.17 MX$37.67

-92.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 UZS 3,035

$1.07 MX$18.59

-76.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 UZS 4,570

$1.05 MX$18.18

-63.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 UZS 19.4K

$4.19 MX$72.6

-61.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.22 UZS 38.9K

$10.28 MX$178

-68.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 UZS 11.6K

$1.67 MX$28.87

-42.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 UZS 24.4K

$2.49 MX$43.12

-18.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 UZS 3,034

$0.54 MX$9.37

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.08 UZS 37.3K

$26.27 MX$455

-88.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 UZS 4,586

$3.10 MX$53.8

-87.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 UZS 2,159

$2.46 MX$42.66

-92.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 UZS 28.1K

$3.24 MX$56.1

-28.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 UZS 11.4K

$1.26 MX$21.83

-25.40%

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

$20.0K UZS 241.3M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-33.78%

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

$24.8K UZS 299.2M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

5.67%

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

$38.84 UZS 469.1K

$84.0 MX$1,456

-53.76%

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

$3.58 UZS 43.2K

$22.21 MX$385

-83.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 UZS 141.0K

$29.65 MX$514

-60.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 UZS 438.1K

$52.6 MX$912

-31.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.40 UZS 77.3K

$18.34 MX$318

-65.10%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 UZS 35.6K

$4.95 MX$85.7

-40.40%

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

$118 UZS 1.4M

$198 MX$3,438

-40.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,645 UZS 56.1M

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-12.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.54 UZS 236.1K

$35.95 MX$623

-45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.93 UZS 482.2K

$40.06 MX$694

-0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 UZS 860.0K

$78.8 MX$1,365

-9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 UZS 677.4K

$86.5 MX$1,499

-35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 UZS 2.7M

$977 MX$16.9K

-76.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 UZS 1.6M

$471 MX$8,158

-72.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 UZS 5.2M

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-73.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 UZS 3.6M

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-75.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,248 UZS 15.1M

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-69.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$546 UZS 6.6M

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-91.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 UZS 3.5M

$714 MX$12.4K

-58.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.07

11.42

93.26%

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

Last update for Samarkand: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Samarkand versus $977 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 143% 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 in Samarkand versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $252 – making Samarkand 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $809 per month in Samarkand and $1,891 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 Samarkand, 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 $539 in Samarkand and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 753% less in Samarkand. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samarkand, where all-in costs run around $539, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Samarkand it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samarkand – 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 Samarkand. 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.