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: $1,704 in Asti versus $1,835 in Tamarindo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,395 in Asti versus $2,565 in Tamarindo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,086 in Asti versus $3,294 in Tamarindo.

Living in Asti costs roughly 7% less than in Tamarindo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Asti 27% above, Tamarindo 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 €14.76

$10.90 ₡4,981

57.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 €52.0

$60.8 ₡27.8K

-0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.08

$9.28 ₡4,239

26.19%

Cappuccino

$1.70 €1.47

$3.80 ₡1,735

-55.26%

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

$2.92 €2.51

$2.01 ₡916

45.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.63 ₡746

-27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.05

$3.06 ₡1,397

91.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 €3.51

$4.62 ₡2,111

-11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.05 ₡938

-25.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.86 ₡1,305

-33.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.17 ₡993

26.73%

Eggs

$3.48 €3.00

$2.91 ₡1,328

19.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.60 €16.02

$9.75 ₡4,453

90.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 €10.49

$9.23 ₡4,216

31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 €18.95

$13.43 ₡6,138

63.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$4.58 ₡2,091

-54.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.45 ₡662

19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 €2.33

$3.20 ₡1,461

-15.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.41 ₡1,560

-11.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.39 ₡1,093

-24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.93 ₡1,340

-45.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.03 ₡473

16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 €0.37

$2.82 ₡1,289

-84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 €6.11

$4.98 ₡2,275

42.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.12 €5.27

$13.42 ₡6,131

-54.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.41 ₡1,102

-19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.90 ₡1,327

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.86 ₡851

-3.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 €37.57

$56.6 ₡25.8K

-22.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 €3.47

$1.88 ₡858

114.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.80 ₡822

17.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.36 €9.78

$5.88 ₡2,688

93.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.47 ₡670

36.05%

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

$26.6K €22.9K

$36.3K ₡16.6M

-26.57%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$33.2K ₡15.1M

4.24%

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

$181 €155

$93.0 ₡42.5K

94.25%

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

$10.41 €8.96

$21.75 ₡9,936

-52.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.38 €25.30

$52.8 ₡24.1K

-44.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 €67.9

$98.4 ₡45.0K

-19.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.12

$23.78 ₡10.9K

-1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$10.27 €8.85

$7.15 ₡3,269

43.64%

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

$574 €494

$521 ₡237.9K

10.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.5K

$8,958 ₡4.1M

49.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 €67.1

$63.6 ₡29.1K

22.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 €34.67

$24.27 ₡11.1K

65.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 €77.2

$111 ₡50.8K

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$107 ₡49.0K

29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 €455

$1,788 ₡816.7K

-70.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 €506

$787 ₡359.4K

-25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 €586

$2,948 ₡1.3M

-76.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 €435

$891 ₡406.9K

-43.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 €2,066

$5,451 ₡2.5M

-55.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 €1,212

$3,201 ₡1.5M

-56.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,985 €1,709

$928 ₡424.1K

113.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-46.67%

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

Last update for Asti: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tamarindo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $528 in Asti and $1,788 in Tamarindo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asti pays 114% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Asti vs $61.0 in Tamarindo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $342 per month, with Asti 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 Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Asti pays 114% more on average, 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: $528 in Asti versus $1,788 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 $60.0 versus $61.0 in Tamarindo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,704 per month in Asti versus $1,835 in Tamarindo – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,704 in Asti versus $1,835 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 8% less than in Tamarindo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.