Cost of Living in Costa Rica
Summary of cost of living in Costa Rica:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 3,353.1$ (1,692,817.9₡), excluding rent.
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 920.3$ (464,624.9₡), excluding rent.
- Cost of living in Costa Rica is, on average, 22.4% lower than in United States.
- Rent in Costa Rica is, on average, 54.6% lower than in United States.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 5,000.00 ₡ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 30,000.00 ₡ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 5,000.00 ₡ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 1,500.00 ₡ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2,235.90 ₡ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 1,974.11 ₡ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 1,077.79 ₡ | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 850.36 ₡ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3,903.93 ₡ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 1,465.62 ₡ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 552.94 ₡ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 1,688.48 ₡ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 2,122.39 ₡ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 2,168.45 ₡ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 3,050.23 ₡ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1,026.88 ₡ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 351.68 ₡ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 747.02 ₡ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 693.69 ₡ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 680.38 ₡ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 637.27 ₡ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 504.25 ₡ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1,240.59 ₡ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8,000.00 ₡ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1,182.13 ₡ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 1,410.63 ₡ | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 2,500.00 ₡ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 500.00 ₡ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 29,300.00 ₡ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 935.00 ₡ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 1,609.34 ₡ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 3,845.00 ₡ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 2,812.73 ₡ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 18,225,000.00 ₡ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 17,781,942.84 ₡ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 43,941.55 ₡ | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 13,323.83 ₡ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 27,241.00 ₡ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 28,537.25 ₡ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 14,519.11 ₡ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 4,500.00 ₡ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 276,891.10 ₡ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 5,038,372.71 ₡ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 36,640.00 ₡ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 26,851.14 ₡ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 60,034.62 ₡ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 51,108.70 ₡ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 403,258.63 ₡ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 275,369.75 ₡ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 735,496.48 ₡ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 516,955.40 ₡ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 120,667.51 ₡ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 65,769.36 ₡ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 508,188.28 ₡ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.35 |
Prices in Costa Rica
This country had 1548 entries in the past 12 months by 132 different contributors.
Last update: 1 July 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: 1 July 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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