Cost vs Worth

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Cost

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

Worth

Top 1,000 (very common) B1 adjective

	Cost	Worth
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/kɒst/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/kɔːst/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/wɜːθ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/wɜːrθ/"]/
Meaning	The amount of money needed to buy something.	the value or importance of something
Example	The cost of the new car is very high.	This painting is worth a lot of money.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	B1
Part of speech	noun	adjective
Collocations	considerable, high, enormous, carry, have, bear, escalate, go up, increase, reduction, savings, increase, at a cost of, cost to, an increase in cost, a reduction in cost, at great cost, considerable, enormous, great, incur, pay, increase, be associated, be involved, escalate, considerable, enormous, great, outweigh, suffer, count, at cost (to), at a cost (to), at the cost of, costs and benefits, at all costs, at any cost, court, legal, administrative, incur, pay, be awarded	be, prove, become, really, well, certainly, to, be, prove, become, really, well, certainly, to, be, prove, become, really, well, certainly, to
Antonyms	free, no cost	worthless, valueless
Common mistakes	Using 'cost' in past tense improperly, like 'costed'., Confusing 'cost' with 'price' in terms of usage., Omitting the amount, e.g., saying 'This costs...' without stating the price.	Using 'worth' without specifying what is being valued., Confusing 'worth' with 'valuable'., Incorrectly placing 'worth' before the amount, like 'worth 50 dollars'.
Usage notes	Use 'cost' to describe the price of goods or services. It’s appropriate in both spoken and written language, but avoid using it in very formal contexts where more specific terms might be preferred.	Use 'worth' when discussing value, often with money-related contexts (e.g., 'This painting is worth $500'). Avoid using 'worth' with non-quantifiable concepts like time or effort.

See it in real clips

Sir, our orders are to hold this bridge at all cost.

Top Gear › S1 E1

and it'll cost you 17,995 quid.

Yeah, I know. This isn't going to cost you any time.

Sir, our orders are to hold this bridge at all cost.

Top Gear › S1 E1

and it'll cost you 17,995 quid.

Cost

Frequently asked questions: Cost vs Worth

What's the difference between Cost and Worth?

Cost: The amount of money needed to buy something. Worth: the value or importance of something

Which is more advanced: Cost and Worth?

Worth is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Cost and Worth the same CEFR level?

Cost: A1, Worth: B1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Cost and Worth?

Cost: noun, Worth: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Cost: The cost of the new car is very high. Worth: This painting is worth a lot of money.

Can I use Cost and Worth interchangeably?

Not always. Cost and Worth are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.