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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,923 per month in Worms vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,001 per month in Worms vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,080 per month in Worms vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Worms costs about 53% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Worms sits 44% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.01 €12.26
$11.99 MX$210
16.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.2 €77.2
$41.78 MX$733
111.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.42 €9.99
$10.75 MX$189
6.23%
Cappuccino
$4.13 €3.61
$3.50 MX$61.3
18.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 €3.02
$1.45 MX$25.41
137.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 €2.98
$0.88 MX$15.52
287.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.16 €4.51
$2.95 MX$51.7
74.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 €4.01
$4.51 MX$79.1
1.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 €1.06
$1.43 MX$25.12
-15.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.21 €1.93
$1.84 MX$32.23
20.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.19 €2.79
$1.57 MX$27.51
103.18%
Eggs
$3.55 €3.11
$2.51 MX$44.06
41.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.62 €12.79
$8.28 MX$145
76.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.06 €12.30
$8.43 MX$148
66.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.81 €17.33
$10.68 MX$187
85.49%
Apples (1kg)
$3.22 €2.82
$2.61 MX$45.76
23.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 €1.56
$1.44 MX$25.22
23.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 €2.00
$1.96 MX$34.41
16.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.15 €4.51
$2.09 MX$36.74
146.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 €1.29
$1.85 MX$32.47
-20.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 €1.33
$2.17 MX$38.02
-29.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 €1.72
$1.03 MX$18.09
90.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 €0.98
$1.07 MX$18.84
4.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.30 €8.13
$4.10 MX$72.0
126.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.56 €4.87
$10.17 MX$178
-45.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 €0.90
$1.68 MX$29.38
-38.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 €1.41
$2.53 MX$44.31
-35.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.49 €3.05
$0.51 MX$8.93
584.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.5 €57.3
$26.04 MX$457
151.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.95 €5.20
$3.23 MX$56.7
84.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.17 €1.90
$2.41 MX$42.19
-9.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.00 €30.62
$3.23 MX$56.6
983.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.80
$1.32 MX$23.17
56.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K €27.8K
$29.7K MX$520.9K
7.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K €32.7K
$23.7K MX$415.0K
57.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$329 €288
$82.0 MX$1,439
301.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.06 €21.93
$22.95 MX$403
9.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.86 €42.75
$30.11 MX$528
62.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.14 €29.87
$52.0 MX$912
-34.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.89 €20.02
$18.53 MX$325
23.53%
Cinema Ticket
$14.30 €12.51
$4.98 MX$87.3
187.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$519 €454
$197 MX$3,463
162.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,477 €5,667
$5,336 MX$93.6K
21.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.2 €64.0
$35.60 MX$624
105.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.55 €31.98
$40.33 MX$707
-9.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €88.2
$78.8 MX$1,381
27.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 €111
$88.9 MX$1,560
43.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$696 €609
$947 MX$16.6K
-26.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$589 €515
$474 MX$8,314
24.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,364 €1,194
$1,644 MX$28.8K
-17.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 €1,014
$1,211 MX$21.2K
-4.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,056 MX$71.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,470 MX$113.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Worms
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,018 €2,640
$654 MX$11.5K
361.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.47
11.42
-69.61%

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

Last update for Worms: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Worms 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 361% higher in Worms, 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 $88.0 in Worms versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 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
Worms vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Worms?
Yes – Worms is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,885 per month in Worms 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 Worms and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,923 in Worms 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 152% 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 Worms 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 Worms at $1,923. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Worms it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Worms 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, Worms 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, Worms makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Worms vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities