Cost of Living Comparison Between Tashkent and Samarkand Cost of Living Comparison Between Tashkent and Samarkand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $928 per month in Tashkent vs $540 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Tashkent vs $884 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,020 per month in Tashkent vs $1,228 in Samarkand, rent included.

Tashkent costs about 72% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tashkent and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Tashkent 31% lower, Samarkand 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.87 UZS 58.7K
$4.52 UZS 54.5K
7.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.78 UZS 383.0K
$17.65 UZS 212.6K
80.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.59 UZS 55.3K
$4.30 UZS 51.8K
6.74%
Cappuccino
$1.85 UZS 22.3K
$1.75 UZS 21.1K
5.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 UZS 7,213
$0.42 UZS 5,078
42.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 UZS 3,259
$0.25 UZS 3,001
8.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.34 UZS 16.2K
$1.30 UZS 15.6K
3.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 UZS 46.7K
$2.01 UZS 24.2K
92.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 UZS 12.8K
$1.01 UZS 12.1K
4.95%
White Bread (500g)
$0.38 UZS 4,621
$0.41 UZS 4,926
-7.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 UZS 20.6K
$1.58 UZS 19.0K
8.23%
Eggs
$1.43 UZS 17.2K
$1.32 UZS 15.9K
8.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.56 UZS 91.0K
$7.65 UZS 92.2K
-1.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 UZS 46.8K
$3.71 UZS 44.7K
4.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.53 UZS 102.8K
$8.75 UZS 105.4K
-2.51%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 UZS 16.6K
$0.76 UZS 9,206
80.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 UZS 20.2K
$1.69 UZS 20.4K
-0.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 UZS 25.5K
$1.62 UZS 19.5K
30.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.51 UZS 18.2K
$1.52 UZS 18.4K
-0.66%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 UZS 5,674
$0.48 UZS 5,794
-2.08%
Onion (1kg)
$0.32 UZS 3,852
$0.16 UZS 1,932
100.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.56 UZS 6,787
$0.25 UZS 3,029
124.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 UZS 5,261
$0.40 UZS 4,837
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.03 UZS 24.5K
$1.59 UZS 19.2K
27.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.60 UZS 79.5K
$3.37 UZS 40.6K
95.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 UZS 12.9K
$0.97 UZS 11.7K
10.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 UZS 37.0K
$1.99 UZS 24.0K
54.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 UZS 2,205
$0.25 UZS 3,016
-28.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.89 UZS 131.3K
$3.18 UZS 38.3K
242.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 UZS 9,346
$0.38 UZS 4,539
105.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 UZS 3,760
$0.19 UZS 2,317
63.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.61 UZS 43.5K
$2.34 UZS 28.1K
54.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 UZS 12.1K
$0.95 UZS 11.5K
5.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.2K UZS 242.8M
$20.1K UZS 241.9M
0.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K UZS 304.6M
$25.2K UZS 304.1M
0.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.01 UZS 530.3K
$38.86 UZS 468.2K
13.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.53 UZS 42.6K
$3.67 UZS 44.3K
-3.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.84 UZS 142.6K
$11.65 UZS 140.4K
1.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.10 UZS 555.4K
$36.09 UZS 434.9K
27.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.23 UZS 159.4K
$6.13 UZS 73.9K
115.82%
Cinema Ticket
$5.21 UZS 62.8K
$2.88 UZS 34.7K
80.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$294 UZS 3.5M
$117 UZS 1.4M
151.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,119 UZS 109.9M
$4,734 UZS 57.0M
92.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.45 UZS 535.6K
$19.72 UZS 237.6K
125.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.05 UZS 591.0K
$39.41 UZS 474.8K
24.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 UZS 1.2M
$71.3 UZS 858.7K
41.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 UZS 1.5M
$54.6 UZS 658.2K
133.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$623 UZS 7.5M
$230 UZS 2.8M
170.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$407 UZS 4.9M
$129 UZS 1.6M
216.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 UZS 14.2M
$440 UZS 5.3M
168.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$713 UZS 8.6M
$296 UZS 3.6M
140.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,623 UZS 19.6M
$1,229 UZS 14.8M
32.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$903 UZS 10.9M
$533 UZS 6.4M
69.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tashkent
Samarkand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$636 UZS 7.7M
$306 UZS 3.7M
107.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.07
22.07
-

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

Last update for Tashkent: June 9, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $623 in Tashkent versus $230 in Samarkand. 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 108% higher in Tashkent, 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 $32.00 in Tashkent versus $18.00 in Samarkand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $145 – 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
Tashkent vs Samarkand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samarkand cheaper than Tashkent?
Yes – Tashkent is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,392 per month in Tashkent and $809 in Samarkand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Tashkent vs Samarkand?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $928 in Tashkent and $540 in Samarkand. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 242% less in Samarkand. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tashkent or Samarkand?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samarkand, where all-in costs run around $540, than in Tashkent at $928. In Samarkand it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tashkent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tashkent or Samarkand more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Tashkent or Samarkand?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Samarkand. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tashkent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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