Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Costa Rica Reverse

For major cities in those countries you get more relevant data by specifying cities.
City in United States:
City in Costa Rica:
Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Costa Rica is 21.5% lower than in United States (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Costa Rica is 32.7% lower than in United States
Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 55.2% lower than in United States
Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 30.0% lower than in United States
Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 20.5% lower than in United States
Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 65.5% lower than in United States
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 20.00 $
(9,979.94 ₡)		 10.02 $
(5,000.00 ₡)		      -49.9 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 75.00 $
(37,424.78 ₡)		 60.00 $
(29,939.82 ₡)		      -20.0 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 11.00 $
(5,488.97 ₡)		 10.02 $
(5,000.00 ₡)		      -8.9 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 6.00 $
(2,993.98 ₡)		 3.01 $
(1,500.00 ₡)		      -49.9 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 7.00 $
(3,492.98 ₡)		 4.55 $
(2,272.74 ₡)		      -34.9 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.22 $
(2,604.53 ₡)		 3.94 $
(1,964.40 ₡)		      -24.6 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.55 $
(1,273.75 ₡)		 2.19 $
(1,091.90 ₡)		      -14.3 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.08 $
(1,037.61 ₡)		 1.67 $
(833.63 ₡)		      -19.7 %
Markets
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.00 $
(1,994.98 ₡)		 7.59 $
(3,788.11 ₡)		      +89.9 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.29 $
(1,642.31 ₡)		 2.85 $
(1,419.98 ₡)		      -13.5 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.08 $
(1,038.92 ₡)		 1.07 $
(534.54 ₡)		      -48.5 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.15 $
(2,070.83 ₡)		 3.42 $
(1,707.14 ₡)		      -17.6 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 5.87 $
(2,931.30 ₡)		 4.11 $
(2,051.26 ₡)		      -30.0 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 5.51 $
(2,749.70 ₡)		 4.31 $
(2,148.64 ₡)		      -21.9 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 7.36 $
(3,671.22 ₡)		 6.05 $
(3,017.74 ₡)		      -17.8 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.39 $
(1,193.08 ₡)		 2.02 $
(1,006.78 ₡)		      -15.6 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.76 $
(379.18 ₡)		 0.74 $
(369.34 ₡)		      -2.6 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.04 $
(1,015.69 ₡)		 1.45 $
(721.64 ₡)		      -29.0 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.22 $
(1,110.18 ₡)		 1.38 $
(690.62 ₡)		      -37.8 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.33 $
(661.99 ₡)		 1.33 $
(665.75 ₡)		      +0.6 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.39 $
(695.53 ₡)		 1.28 $
(638.47 ₡)		      -8.2 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.20 $
(1,099.43 ₡)		 1.03 $
(512.71 ₡)		      -53.4 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.22 $
(1,109.49 ₡)		 2.49 $
(1,243.91 ₡)		      +12.1 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 15.00 $
(7,484.96 ₡)		 16.03 $
(8,000.00 ₡)		      +6.9 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 1.94 $
(968.80 ₡)		 2.40 $
(1,196.15 ₡)		      +23.5 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 3.59 $
(1,789.90 ₡)		 2.80 $
(1,398.97 ₡)		      -21.8 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 10.00 $
(4,989.97 ₡)		 5.01 $
(2,500.00 ₡)		      -49.9 %
Transportation
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.50 $
(1,247.49 ₡)		 1.00 $
(500.00 ₡)		      -59.9 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 65.00 $
(32,434.81 ₡)		 45.89 $
(22,900.00 ₡)		      -29.4 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.75 $
(1,871.24 ₡)		 1.82 $
(910.00 ₡)		      -51.4 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 2.80 $
(1,397.19 ₡)		 3.22 $
(1,606.12 ₡)		      +15.0 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 30.00 $
(14,969.91 ₡)		 7.71 $
(3,845.00 ₡)		      -74.3 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.51 $
(1,753.55 ₡)		 5.68 $
(2,832.57 ₡)		      +61.5 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 30,000.00 $
(14,969,911.17 ₡)		 36,573.36 $
(18,250,000.00 ₡)		      +21.9 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 25,959.25 $
(12,953,587.92 ₡)		 35,627.98 $
(17,778,254.11 ₡)		      +37.2 %
Utilities (Monthly)
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 207.87 $
(103,727.13 ₡)		 89.17 $
(44,494.09 ₡)		      -57.1 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 57.17 $
(28,528.30 ₡)		 26.22 $
(13,084.93 ₡)		      -54.1 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 71.46 $
(35,659.19 ₡)		 54.64 $
(27,263.98 ₡)		      -23.5 %
Sports And Leisure
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 46.54 $
(23,223.54 ₡)		 57.88 $
(28,880.58 ₡)		      +24.4 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 21.86 $
(10,906.99 ₡)		 30.68 $
(15,308.33 ₡)		      +40.4 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 14.09 $
(7,033.36 ₡)		 8.02 $
(4,000.00 ₡)		      -43.1 %
Childcare
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,375.34 $
(686,291.07 ₡)		 551.72 $
(275,306.61 ₡)		      -59.9 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 22,628.80 $
(11,291,703.27 ₡)		 9,933.21 $
(4,956,642.79 ₡)		      -56.1 %
Clothing And Shoes
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 52.01 $
(25,952.68 ₡)		 74.05 $
(36,951.98 ₡)		      +42.4 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 42.62 $
(21,265.74 ₡)		 55.99 $
(27,937.91 ₡)		      +31.4 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 89.42 $
(44,619.95 ₡)		 123.57 $
(61,660.48 ₡)		      +38.2 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 113.20 $
(56,485.19 ₡)		 108.06 $
(53,921.70 ₡)		      -4.5 %
Rent Per Month
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,743.91 $
(870,203.99 ₡)		 786.10 $
(392,263.14 ₡)		      -54.9 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,437.75 $
(717,433.68 ₡)		 530.44 $
(264,685.73 ₡)		      -63.1 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 2,908.84 $
(1,451,501.60 ₡)		 1,465.85 $
(731,452.55 ₡)		      -49.6 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,398.49 $
(1,196,841.49 ₡)		 1,017.15 $
(507,552.43 ₡)		      -57.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 300.24 $
(149,820.11 ₡)		 250.44 $
(124,970.93 ₡)		      -16.6 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 251.42 $
(125,459.20 ₡)		 134.90 $
(67,315.46 ₡)		      -46.3 %
Salaries And Financing
 United States Edit Costa Rica Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 4,337.95 $
(2,164,622.82 ₡)		 1,007.18 $
(502,581.15 ₡)		      -76.8 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.57 10.29      +56.6 %
Last update: March 2025March 2025
Contributors in the past 12 months:10337111
Moving to United States? Explore:
Moving to Costa Rica? Explore:

Other comparisons United States vs Costa Rica:

  
About In the News Newsletter API

Copyright © 2009-2025 Numbeo. Your use of this service is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy