Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tashkent and Lanzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Lanzhou: $712 a month against $1,048 in Tashkent, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tashkent
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
$1,048
/mo nomad
Lanzhou
🇨🇳 China
$712
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tashkent and in Lanzhou

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tashkent and in Lanzhou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Tashkent versus $712 in Lanzhou.

  • Tashkent $1,048
  • Lanzhou $712

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,646 in Tashkent versus $1,132 in Lanzhou.

  • Tashkent $1,646
  • Lanzhou $1,132

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,244 in Tashkent versus $1,553 in Lanzhou.

  • Tashkent $2,244
  • Lanzhou $1,553

Living in Tashkent is roughly 47% more expensive than in Lanzhou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tashkent 23% lower, Lanzhou 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.73 UZS 81.1K
$2.07 ¥13.83
225.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.94 UZS 397.0K
$28.47 ¥190
15.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.13 UZS 61.9K
$5.49 ¥36.69
-6.56%
Cappuccino
$2.55 UZS 30.7K
$2.53 ¥16.93
0.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 UZS 8,488
$0.51 ¥3.39
37.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 UZS 3,955
$0.31 ¥2.08
6.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.09 UZS 25.2K
$1.05 ¥7.03
99.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 UZS 45.4K
$1.83 ¥12.24
106.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 UZS 15.7K
$1.77 ¥11.82
-26.55%
White Bread (500g)
$0.85 UZS 10.2K
$1.63 ¥10.88
-47.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 UZS 19.7K
$0.97 ¥6.48
68.04%
Eggs
$1.80 UZS 21.6K
$1.65 ¥11.03
9.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.04 UZS 96.9K
$13.22 ¥88.4
-39.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.07 UZS 49.1K
$3.30 ¥22.04
23.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.49 UZS 150.6K
$12.06 ¥80.6
3.57%
Apples (1kg)
$1.49 UZS 18.0K
$1.82 ¥12.20
-18.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 UZS 21.8K
$1.33 ¥8.90
36.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 UZS 26.4K
$1.58 ¥10.53
38.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.70 UZS 20.5K
$1.30 ¥8.70
30.77%
Potato (1kg)
$0.60 UZS 7,171
$0.69 ¥4.60
-13.04%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 UZS 4,488
$0.94 ¥6.28
-60.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 UZS 12.3K
$0.63 ¥4.18
61.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 UZS 5,351
$0.60 ¥3.99
-26.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 UZS 23.5K
$3.64 ¥24.36
-46.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 UZS 88.4K
$11.50 ¥76.9
-36.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 UZS 15.9K
$0.86 ¥5.77
53.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 UZS 42.7K
$1.56 ¥10.44
127.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.15 UZS 1,786
$0.29 ¥1.95
-48.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.30 UZS 148.2K
$17.98 ¥120
-31.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.86 UZS 10.4K
$1.46 ¥9.76
-41.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.36 UZS 4,382
$0.33 ¥2.19
9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 UZS 38.4K
$7.29 ¥48.76
-56.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 UZS 13.6K
$1.51 ¥10.13
-25.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.3K UZS 208.5M
$18.7K ¥125.2K
-7.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K UZS 249.8M
$15.8K ¥105.4K
31.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$67.2 UZS 809.7K
$58.2 ¥389
15.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.40 UZS 53.0K
$8.61 ¥57.6
-48.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.35 UZS 160.9K
$11.46 ¥76.6
16.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 UZS 813.2K
$41.30 ¥276
63.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.05 UZS 217.5K
$14.73 ¥98.5
22.54%
Cinema Ticket
$5.66 UZS 68.2K
$6.52 ¥43.58
-13.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$333 UZS 4.0M
$396 ¥2,648
-16.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,238 UZS 111.3M
$16.9K ¥112.9K
-45.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.73 UZS 599.3K
$42.29 ¥283
17.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 UZS 698.6K
$33.93 ¥227
70.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 UZS 1.3M
$74.7 ¥499
49.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 UZS 1.6M
$75.7 ¥506
76.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$595 UZS 7.2M
$305 ¥2,037
95.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$395 UZS 4.8M
$168 ¥1,126
134.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,188 UZS 14.3M
$608 ¥4,064
95.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$735 UZS 8.9M
$296 ¥1,981
148.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,621 UZS 19.5M
$2,700 ¥18.0K
-39.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$944 UZS 11.4M
$1,580 ¥10.6K
-40.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tashkent
Lanzhou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$716 UZS 8.6M
$927 ¥6,199
-22.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
23.31
3
677.00%

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

Last update for Tashkent: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tashkent
$395
Lanzhou
$168 57.3% $226
Groceries & Markets
Tashkent
$193
Lanzhou
$211 9.1% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Tashkent
$159
Lanzhou
$102 35.9% $57
Eating Out
Tashkent
$122
Lanzhou
$76 38% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tashkent
$85
Lanzhou
$78 7.9% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Tashkent
$79
Lanzhou
$54 31% $24
Getting Around
Tashkent
$16
Lanzhou
$22 42.8% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $595 in Tashkent and $305 in Lanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lanzhou pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Tashkent vs $28.00 in Lanzhou. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $211, with Tashkent cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇿 Tashkent
🇨🇳 Lanzhou
🕒 Local time
15:46 3:46 PM
18:46 6:46 PM
3 h ahead of Tashkent
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,956,384 Capital
3,688,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to UZS – Uzbekistani Som Converter

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 12,051 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.3 USD). 1 EUR = 13,548 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.38 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tashkent Lanzhou 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tashkent
  • Lanzhou

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tashkent vs Lanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lanzhou cheaper than Tashkent?
Lanzhou is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tashkent or Lanzhou?
On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Lanzhou. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Tashkent and Lanzhou?
Rent for a central apartment: $595 in Tashkent versus $305 in Lanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $333 in Tashkent versus $396 in Lanzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Tashkent and in Lanzhou?
Shoppers in Tashkent pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tashkent or in Lanzhou?
At $712 in Lanzhou versus $1,048 in Tashkent, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lanzhou but tight or insufficient in Tashkent. The gap between the two cities makes Lanzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Tashkent or in Lanzhou?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Tashkent or Lanzhou?
Safety-wise, Tashkent and Lanzhou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Tashkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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