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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,197 per month in Woking vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,363 per month in Woking vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,529 per month in Woking vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Woking costs about 155% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Woking sits 139% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 £15.04
$11.99 MX$210
68.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.6 £70.4
$41.78 MX$733
126.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.40 £6.99
$10.75 MX$189
-12.56%
Cappuccino
$4.81 £3.58
$3.50 MX$61.3
37.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 £1.85
$1.45 MX$25.41
71.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 £1.27
$0.88 MX$15.52
94.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.84 £5.09
$2.95 MX$51.7
131.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.62 £4.92
$4.51 MX$79.1
46.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 £1.27
$1.43 MX$25.12
19.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 £1.53
$1.84 MX$32.23
11.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.84 £2.12
$1.57 MX$27.51
80.89%
Eggs
$4.37 £3.25
$2.51 MX$44.06
74.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.56 £9.34
$8.28 MX$145
51.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.41 £6.26
$8.43 MX$148
-0.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.71 £8.71
$10.68 MX$187
9.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 £2.12
$2.61 MX$45.76
9.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 £1.01
$1.44 MX$25.22
-5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 £2.55
$1.96 MX$34.41
75.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.90 £2.16
$2.09 MX$36.74
38.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 £0.78
$1.85 MX$32.47
-43.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 £0.93
$2.17 MX$38.02
-42.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 £0.86
$1.03 MX$18.09
12.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 £0.84
$1.07 MX$18.84
5.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.93 £13.34
$4.10 MX$72.0
337.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.62 £7.90
$10.17 MX$178
4.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.11 £2.32
$1.68 MX$29.38
85.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 £2.86
$2.53 MX$44.31
52.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.02 £2.99
$0.51 MX$8.93
688.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 £81.1
$26.04 MX$457
318.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 £3.97
$3.23 MX$56.7
65.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 £1.18
$2.41 MX$42.19
-34.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.60 £15.32
$3.23 MX$56.6
537.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 £1.45
$1.32 MX$23.17
48.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K £28.8K
$29.7K MX$520.9K
30.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K £30.8K
$23.7K MX$415.0K
74.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$527 £392
$82.0 MX$1,439
542.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.95 £13.35
$22.95 MX$403
-21.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.07 £35.75
$30.11 MX$528
59.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 £37.96
$52.0 MX$912
-1.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.41 £10.72
$18.53 MX$325
-22.23%
Cinema Ticket
$18.29 £13.61
$4.98 MX$87.3
267.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,090 £1,555
$197 MX$3,463
958.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.6K £21.3K
$5,336 MX$93.6K
436.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 £84.9
$35.60 MX$624
220.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.3 £42.63
$40.33 MX$707
42.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 £81.5
$78.8 MX$1,381
39.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 £63.8
$88.9 MX$1,560
-3.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,769 £1,316
$947 MX$16.6K
86.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 £1,244
$474 MX$8,314
252.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,678 £1,992
$1,644 MX$28.8K
62.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,313 £1,720
$1,211 MX$21.2K
91.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,138 £6,053
$4,056 MX$71.1K
100.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,102 £4,539
$6,470 MX$113.5K
-5.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Woking
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,664 £2,725
$654 MX$11.5K
460.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
11.42
-48.34%

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

Last update for Woking: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,769 in Woking versus $947 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 460% higher in Woking, 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 $95.0 in Woking versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Woking vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Woking?
Yes – Woking is pricier by about 155%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $4,796 per month in Woking and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 Woking and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,197 in Woking and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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 318% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Woking or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Woking at $3,197. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Woking it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Woking or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Woking or Playa del Carmen?
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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Woking makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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