Cost of Living Comparison Between El Salvador and Costa Rica 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Costa Rica is 34.6% higher than in El Salvador (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Costa Rica is 30.4% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 17.5% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 51.7% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 32.6% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 53.5% higher than in El Salvador | |
Restaurants | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
7.50 $ (3,766.59 ₡) |
9.96 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+32.7 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
30.00 $ (15,066.34 ₡) |
59.74 $ (30,000.00 ₡) |
+99.1 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
7.00 $ (3,515.48 ₡) |
9.96 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+42.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
2.00 $ (1,004.42 ₡) |
2.99 $ (1,500.00 ₡) |
+49.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
3.25 $ (1,632.19 ₡) |
4.78 $ (2,400.00 ₡) |
+47.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
3.36 $ (1,688.02 ₡) |
3.97 $ (1,993.48 ₡) |
+18.1 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
1.10 $ (553.49 ₡) |
2.18 $ (1,095.47 ₡) |
+97.9 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
0.85 $ (424.65 ₡) |
1.68 $ (845.46 ₡) |
+99.1 % |
Markets | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
7.05 $ (3,538.40 ₡) |
7.56 $ (3,796.91 ₡) |
+7.3 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
1.78 $ (895.28 ₡) |
2.88 $ (1,445.77 ₡) |
+61.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
0.75 $ (377.65 ₡) |
1.08 $ (541.22 ₡) |
+43.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
2.63 $ (1,321.36 ₡) |
3.41 $ (1,712.54 ₡) |
+29.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
3.44 $ (1,727.82 ₡) |
4.09 $ (2,051.70 ₡) |
+18.7 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
2.53 $ (1,272.13 ₡) |
4.27 $ (2,145.78 ₡) |
+68.7 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
4.40 $ (2,209.11 ₡) |
5.99 $ (3,005.95 ₡) |
+36.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
1.52 $ (763.57 ₡) |
1.99 $ (999.75 ₡) |
+30.9 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
0.85 $ (426.85 ₡) |
0.74 $ (369.52 ₡) |
-13.4 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
1.16 $ (581.45 ₡) |
1.46 $ (731.33 ₡) |
+25.8 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
1.23 $ (616.57 ₡) |
1.38 $ (691.01 ₡) |
+12.1 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
1.08 $ (543.05 ₡) |
1.33 $ (665.48 ₡) |
+22.5 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
0.99 $ (497.37 ₡) |
1.28 $ (644.64 ₡) |
+29.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
0.99 $ (499.07 ₡) |
1.01 $ (505.79 ₡) |
+1.3 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1.14 $ (571.96 ₡) |
2.48 $ (1,243.91 ₡) |
+117.5 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
12.00 $ (6,026.54 ₡) |
15.93 $ (8,000.00 ₡) |
+32.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1.52 $ (763.01 ₡) |
2.34 $ (1,172.85 ₡) |
+53.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
2.44 $ (1,227.28 ₡) |
2.74 $ (1,377.11 ₡) |
+12.2 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
4.00 $ (2,008.85 ₡) |
4.98 $ (2,500.00 ₡) |
+24.4 % |
Transportation | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
0.35 $ (175.77 ₡) |
1.00 $ (500.00 ₡) |
+184.5 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
28.75 $ (14,438.58 ₡) |
49.78 $ (25,000.00 ₡) |
+73.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
6.50 $ (3,264.37 ₡) |
1.81 $ (910.00 ₡) |
-72.1 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
4.83 $ (2,425.19 ₡) |
3.20 $ (1,609.34 ₡) |
-33.6 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
15.00 $ (7,533.17 ₡) |
7.66 $ (3,845.00 ₡) |
-49.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
3.87 $ (1,944.13 ₡) |
5.64 $ (2,833.28 ₡) |
+45.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
25,000.00 $ (12,555,284.32 ₡) |
36,339.28 $ (18,250,000.00 ₡) |
+45.4 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
26,348.89 $ (13,232,711.60 ₡) |
35,449.74 $ (17,803,262.39 ₡) |
+34.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
92.44 $ (46,424.08 ₡) |
88.77 $ (44,581.45 ₡) |
-4.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
19.81 $ (9,949.75 ₡) |
26.06 $ (13,087.10 ₡) |
+31.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
41.17 $ (20,674.37 ₡) |
54.74 $ (27,489.22 ₡) |
+33.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
30.65 $ (15,390.69 ₡) |
57.56 $ (28,906.16 ₡) |
+87.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
19.22 $ (9,652.50 ₡) |
30.48 $ (15,308.33 ₡) |
+58.6 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
5.25 $ (2,636.61 ₡) |
7.96 $ (4,000.00 ₡) |
+51.7 % |
Childcare | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
141.89 $ (71,258.21 ₡) |
548.36 $ (275,391.19 ₡) |
+286.5 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
5,074.25 $ (2,548,346.06 ₡) |
9,888.52 $ (4,966,129.05 ₡) |
+94.9 % |
Clothing And Shoes | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
56.55 $ (28,402.56 ₡) |
73.60 $ (36,964.42 ₡) |
+30.1 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
40.00 $ (20,088.45 ₡) |
55.43 $ (27,836.38 ₡) |
+38.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
115.00 $ (57,754.31 ₡) |
124.74 $ (62,644.33 ₡) |
+8.5 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
102.78 $ (51,616.17 ₡) |
107.45 $ (53,963.63 ₡) |
+4.5 % |
Rent Per Month | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
713.55 $ (358,352.93 ₡) |
788.72 $ (396,104.73 ₡) |
+10.5 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
616.55 $ (309,639.79 ₡) |
529.37 $ (265,857.56 ₡) |
-14.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
1,075.83 $ (540,295.74 ₡) |
1,460.40 $ (733,428.01 ₡) |
+35.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
810.66 $ (407,123.13 ₡) |
1,000.90 $ (502,665.25 ₡) |
+23.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
218.91 $ (109,939.78 ₡) |
249.32 $ (125,213.76 ₡) |
+13.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
120.88 $ (60,708.72 ₡) |
138.89 $ (69,752.77 ₡) |
+14.9 % |
Salaries And Financing | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
500.42 $ (251,314.94 ₡) |
1,001.96 $ (503,193.82 ₡) |
+100.2 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 9.50 | 10.29 | +8.3 % |
| Last update: | March 2025 | March 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 38 | 112 |
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