Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecuador and Costa Rica 
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| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Costa Rica is 74.5% higher than in Ecuador (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Costa Rica is 84.5% higher than in Ecuador | |
| Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 131.1% higher than in Ecuador | |
| Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 85.4% higher than in Ecuador | |
| Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 76.0% higher than in Ecuador | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 8.2% higher than in Ecuador | |
Restaurants | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
3.50 $ (1,751.47 ₡) |
9.99 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+185.5 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
32.00 $ (16,013.43 ₡) |
59.95 $ (30,000.00 ₡) |
+87.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
7.00 $ (3,502.94 ₡) |
9.99 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+42.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
2.00 $ (1,000.84 ₡) |
3.00 $ (1,500.00 ₡) |
+49.9 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
3.50 $ (1,751.47 ₡) |
4.80 $ (2,400.00 ₡) |
+37.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
2.45 $ (1,224.84 ₡) |
3.98 $ (1,992.29 ₡) |
+62.7 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
0.96 $ (482.04 ₡) |
2.19 $ (1,095.27 ₡) |
+127.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
0.67 $ (335.02 ₡) |
1.69 $ (845.10 ₡) |
+152.3 % |
Markets | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
4.11 $ (2,057.96 ₡) |
7.59 $ (3,796.58 ₡) |
+84.5 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
1.46 $ (731.55 ₡) |
2.89 $ (1,445.52 ₡) |
+97.6 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
0.68 $ (338.11 ₡) |
1.08 $ (541.13 ₡) |
+60.0 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
2.10 $ (1,052.98 ₡) |
3.42 $ (1,712.25 ₡) |
+62.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
2.85 $ (1,424.24 ₡) |
4.10 $ (2,051.45 ₡) |
+44.0 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
2.54 $ (1,270.33 ₡) |
4.29 $ (2,145.55 ₡) |
+68.9 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
3.02 $ (1,510.36 ₡) |
6.01 $ (3,005.95 ₡) |
+99.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
0.92 $ (459.73 ₡) |
2.00 $ (999.75 ₡) |
+117.5 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
0.50 $ (250.48 ₡) |
0.74 $ (369.43 ₡) |
+47.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
0.58 $ (291.09 ₡) |
1.46 $ (731.27 ₡) |
+151.2 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
0.56 $ (280.30 ₡) |
1.38 $ (690.97 ₡) |
+146.5 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
0.55 $ (272.79 ₡) |
1.33 $ (665.43 ₡) |
+143.9 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
0.47 $ (235.61 ₡) |
1.29 $ (644.52 ₡) |
+173.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
0.66 $ (327.77 ₡) |
1.01 $ (505.64 ₡) |
+54.3 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1.12 $ (558.20 ₡) |
2.49 $ (1,243.91 ₡) |
+122.8 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
10.00 $ (5,004.20 ₡) |
15.99 $ (8,000.00 ₡) |
+59.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1.72 $ (858.45 ₡) |
2.34 $ (1,172.70 ₡) |
+36.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
2.74 $ (1,372.47 ₡) |
2.75 $ (1,376.95 ₡) |
+0.3 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
6.00 $ (3,002.52 ₡) |
5.00 $ (2,500.00 ₡) |
-16.7 % |
Transportation | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
0.35 $ (175.15 ₡) |
1.00 $ (500.00 ₡) |
+185.5 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
25.00 $ (12,510.49 ₡) |
49.96 $ (25,000.00 ₡) |
+99.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
1.50 $ (750.63 ₡) |
1.82 $ (910.00 ₡) |
+21.2 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
2.41 $ (1,208.02 ₡) |
3.22 $ (1,609.34 ₡) |
+33.2 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
10.00 $ (5,004.20 ₡) |
7.68 $ (3,845.00 ₡) |
-23.2 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
2.52 $ (1,261.92 ₡) |
5.66 $ (2,832.88 ₡) |
+124.5 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
21,000.00 $ (10,508,812.36 ₡) |
36,469.39 $ (18,250,000.00 ₡) |
+73.7 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
27,541.82 $ (13,782,469.68 ₡) |
35,548.81 $ (17,789,322.25 ₡) |
+29.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
44.40 $ (22,216.63 ₡) |
89.07 $ (44,570.36 ₡) |
+100.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
13.26 $ (6,634.52 ₡) |
26.15 $ (13,084.27 ₡) |
+97.2 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
31.16 $ (15,593.08 ₡) |
54.92 $ (27,481.19 ₡) |
+76.2 % |
Sports And Leisure | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
32.23 $ (16,126.90 ₡) |
57.74 $ (28,893.26 ₡) |
+79.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
14.76 $ (7,388.14 ₡) |
30.59 $ (15,308.33 ₡) |
+107.2 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
7.00 $ (3,502.94 ₡) |
7.99 $ (4,000.00 ₡) |
+14.2 % |
Childcare | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
247.87 $ (124,037.35 ₡) |
550.23 $ (275,344.04 ₡) |
+122.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
6,038.10 $ (3,021,581.42 ₡) |
9,913.36 $ (4,960,841.21 ₡) |
+64.2 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
55.41 $ (27,727.71 ₡) |
73.86 $ (36,960.84 ₡) |
+33.3 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
47.00 $ (23,519.72 ₡) |
55.61 $ (27,826.35 ₡) |
+18.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
98.69 $ (49,386.65 ₡) |
125.15 $ (62,625.18 ₡) |
+26.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
79.38 $ (39,720.81 ₡) |
107.79 $ (53,940.26 ₡) |
+35.8 % |
Rent Per Month | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
337.22 $ (168,752.62 ₡) |
790.33 $ (395,498.63 ₡) |
+134.4 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
273.82 $ (137,023.99 ₡) |
530.31 $ (265,379.56 ₡) |
+93.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
577.82 $ (289,151.56 ₡) |
1,463.48 $ (732,356.27 ₡) |
+153.3 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
450.26 $ (225,320.53 ₡) |
1,003.08 $ (501,960.04 ₡) |
+122.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
106.38 $ (53,234.71 ₡) |
249.89 $ (125,049.43 ₡) |
+134.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
105.07 $ (52,579.66 ₡) |
139.23 $ (69,672.32 ₡) |
+32.5 % |
Salaries And Financing | Ecuador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
503.16 $ (251,788.92 ₡) |
1,004.66 $ (502,750.05 ₡) |
+99.7 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.01 | 10.29 | +2.8 % |
| Last update: | March 2025 | March 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 127 | 112 |
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