Cost of living in Costa Rica
Summary of cost of living in Costa Rica
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: ₡ 1,657,531
- Single person estimated monthly costs: ₡ 743,963
- Costa Rica is the 3rd most expensive country in Latin America (3 out of 14)
- Cost of living in Costa Rica is cheaper than in 50% of countries in the World (31 out of 62)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | ₡ 6,274 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | ₡ 4,671 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | ₡ 2,118 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | ₡ 1,083 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | ₡ 1,851 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | ₡ 1,215 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | ₡ 2,952 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | ₡ 1,691 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | ₡ 1,164 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | ₡ 1,083 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | ₡ 7,101 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | ₡ 1,650 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | ₡ 857 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | ₡ 542,164 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | ₡ 323,059 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | ₡ 41,915 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | ₡ 429,356 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | ₡ 242,935 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | ₡ 41,769 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | ₡ 15,934 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | ₡ 166,800 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | ₡ 72,835 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | ₡ 3,988 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | ₡ 2,652 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | ₡ 32,063 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | ₡ 21,057 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | ₡ 59,753 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | ₡ 44,351 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | ₡ 15,345,500 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | ₡ 715 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | ₡ 26,133 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | ₡ 3,238 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | ₡ 8,605 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | ₡ 35,369 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | ₡ 5,073 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | ₡ 3,224 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | ₡ 3,584 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | ₡ 1,401 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | ₡ 2,036 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | ₡ 10,992 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | ₡ 16,536 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | ₡ 6,866 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | ₡ 15,181 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | ₡ 33,867 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | ₡ 5,454 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | ₡ 3,355 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | ₡ 1,485 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | ₡ 334,563 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | ₡ 38 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | ₡ 33,277 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | ₡ 2,793 | ||
Moving to Costa Rica with your children?
International Schools in Costa Rica
Map of Cost of Living in Costa Rica
This map shows only the top cities in Costa Rica. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Costa Rica? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Costa Rica of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Costa Rica
| Limón | San Jose, Costa Rica |
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 33% cheaper than in Houston, Texas
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 9% cheaper than in Madrid
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 12% cheaper than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 68% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 39% more expensive than in Ankara
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 16% more expensive than in Mexico City
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 130% more expensive than in Tunja
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 57% more expensive than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 9% cheaper than in Udine
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 43% cheaper than in Dublin
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 44% cheaper than in Chicago, Illinois
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 24% more expensive than in Bangkok
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 25% cheaper than in Brussels
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 19% cheaper than in Greenville, South Carolina
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 11% more expensive than in General Santos City
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 48% more expensive than in Curitiba
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 36% more expensive than in Bucharest
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 41% more expensive than in Santiago de los Caballeros
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 35% cheaper than in Phoenix, Arizona
- Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 40% cheaper than in Bristol