I lived in Tashkent from September 2014 to June 2015. I had a large, newly renovated, 2-bedroom apartment on the ground floor about 1/2 block from TSUM, and my rent was US$1000 per month. My colleagues at the university where I was teaching thought that was very high, but the apartments I looked at in the $500 to $700 range were all either fourth-floor apartments in buildings with no elevator, were unrenovated, or were in inconvenient locations.
I loved the apartment and the location. Shopping was either within walking distance or a short taxi ride away. Many buses stop at TSUM and the nearest metro station was about five blocks away, so I could get around very easily by public transportation. Taxis were available at TSUM, but it was also easy to catch a "taxi" -- that is, an unofficial taxi -- on the busy street in front of TSUM. If I return to Tashkent for another extended stay, I will certainly want to live in the same neighborhood.