Cost of Living Comparison Between Asti and Tamarindo Cost of Living Comparison Between Asti and Tamarindo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,627 in Asti versus $2,154 in Tamarindo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,488 in Asti versus $3,104 in Tamarindo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,349 in Asti versus $4,054 in Tamarindo.

Living in Asti costs roughly 24% less than in Tamarindo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Asti 18% above, Tamarindo 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.08

$12.35 ₡5,528

41.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 €59.7

$58.1 ₡26.0K

19.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 €10.21

$11.44 ₡5,121

3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.85 €1.59

$4.42 ₡1,978

-58.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.56 ₡1,146

36.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.85 ₡830

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 €6.16

$3.26 ₡1,460

119.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 €4.13

$4.44 ₡1,988

7.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.42 ₡1,083

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.89

$3.09 ₡1,382

-29.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 €2.87

$2.53 ₡1,131

31.62%

Eggs

$4.66 €4.02

$3.45 ₡1,545

35.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.58 €24.64

$10.60 ₡4,746

169.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.98 €12.91

$10.61 ₡4,750

41.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.37 €21.87

$13.93 ₡6,233

82.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$5.02 ₡2,246

-55.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.64 ₡735

39.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 €2.63

$3.62 ₡1,619

-15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.32 €2.87

$3.80 ₡1,701

-12.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.63 ₡1,176

-6.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$3.74 ₡1,674

-41.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.12 ₡500

73.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 €0.40

$3.12 ₡1,395

-84.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.09

$5.16 ₡2,311

36.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 €5.53

$13.18 ₡5,897

-51.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.89

$2.81 ₡1,259

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.14 ₡1,406

-26.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.12 ₡947

-34.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.72 €24.76

$86.1 ₡38.5K

-66.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 €5.04

$2.49 ₡1,113

134.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.55 ₡696

45.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.14 €10.46

$6.64 ₡2,970

82.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.54 ₡690

33.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.7K €23.0K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

19.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.7K €31.6K

$34.7K ₡15.5M

5.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$179 €154

$93.7 ₡41.9K

90.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.40 €8.96

$29.66 ₡13.3K

-64.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 €22.32

$57.6 ₡25.8K

-55.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 €70.8

$101 ₡45.3K

-18.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.49 €9.91

$26.22 ₡11.7K

-56.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 €8.51

$7.91 ₡3,541

24.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$578 €498

$592 ₡264.8K

-2.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,012 €7,768

$8,972 ₡4.0M

0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €84.6

$70.6 ₡31.6K

38.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.21 €34.66

$26.81 ₡12.0K

49.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 €76.8

$119 ₡53.5K

-25.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$133 ₡59.6K

3.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 €453

$1,963 ₡878.6K

-73.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 €373

$969 ₡433.6K

-55.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 €608

$2,709 ₡1.2M

-73.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 €449

$1,416 ₡633.9K

-63.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,475 €2,133

$5,400 ₡2.4M

-54.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,373 €1,183

$3,233 ₡1.4M

-57.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,912 €1,648

$943 ₡422.0K

102.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.7

8.78

-57.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Asti: September 8, 2026

Last update for Tamarindo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Asti and $1,963 in Tamarindo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asti pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Asti vs $58.0 in Tamarindo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $378 per month, with Tamarindo cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Asti vs Tamarindo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asti is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 103% higher in Asti, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $526 in Asti versus $1,963 in Tamarindo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Asti – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $58.0 in Tamarindo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,627 per month in Asti versus $2,154 in Tamarindo – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,627 in Asti versus $2,154 in Tamarindo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Asti but tight or insufficient in Tamarindo. The gap between the two cities makes Asti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Asti is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tamarindo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Asti and Tamarindo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Asti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tamarindo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.