Cost of Living in Costa Rica
Summary of cost of living in Costa Rica:
- A family of four estimated monthly costs are 3,304.5$ (1,648,953.3₡) without rent.
- A single person estimated monthly costs are 906.8$ (452,490.8₡) without rent.
- Cost of living in Costa Rica is, on average, 21.5% lower than in United States.
- Rent in Costa Rica is, on average, 55.2% lower than in United States.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 10.02 $ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 60.00 $ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 10.02 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 3.01 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 4.55 $ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 3.94 $ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.19 $ | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.67 $ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 7.59 $ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 2.85 $ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.07 $ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.42 $ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 4.11 $ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 4.31 $ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 6.05 $ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.02 $ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.74 $ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.45 $ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.38 $ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.33 $ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.28 $ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.03 $ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.49 $ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 16.03 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.40 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.80 $ | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 5.01 $ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.00 $ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 45.89 $ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 1.82 $ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 3.22 $ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 7.71 $ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 5.68 $ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 36,573.36 $ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 35,627.98 $ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 89.17 $ | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 26.22 $ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 54.64 $ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 57.88 $ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 30.68 $ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 8.02 $ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 551.72 $ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 9,933.21 $ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 74.05 $ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 55.99 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 123.57 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 108.06 $ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 786.10 $ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 530.44 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 1,465.85 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,017.15 $ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 250.44 $ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 134.90 $ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 1,007.18 $ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.29 |
Prices in Costa Rica
This country had 1206 entries in the past 12 months by 111 different contributors.
Last update: March 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: March 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Sources and References
Moving to Costa Rica? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
This page in other languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Costa Rica
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 PortuguêsCusto de Vida na Costa Rica
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 ItalianoCosto della Vita in Costa Rica
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 FrançaisCoût de la Vie au Costa Rica
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 EspañolCosto de Vida en Costa Rica
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