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: $1,674 in Asti versus $1,813 in Tamarindo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,324 in Asti versus $2,519 in Tamarindo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,974 in Asti versus $3,226 in Tamarindo.

Living in Asti costs roughly 8% less than in Tamarindo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Asti 25% above, Tamarindo 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 €15.33

$11.00 ₡4,907

59.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 €53.5

$59.8 ₡26.7K

2.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 €10.10

$9.39 ₡4,189

22.90%

Cappuccino

$1.71 €1.49

$3.91 ₡1,747

-56.27%

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

$2.95 €2.58

$2.07 ₡922

42.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.60 ₡712

-25.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.17

$3.01 ₡1,345

96.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.48

$4.70 ₡2,097

-15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.36

$1.95 ₡872

-20.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 €1.58

$2.79 ₡1,245

-35.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 €2.40

$2.14 ₡957

28.04%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.06

$3.00 ₡1,340

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.58 €16.26

$10.11 ₡4,511

83.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.64 €11.06

$9.26 ₡4,129

36.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.93 €19.19

$13.45 ₡6,002

63.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 €1.84

$4.60 ₡2,052

-54.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.52

$1.45 ₡646

19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$3.20 ₡1,427

-18.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 €2.76

$3.57 ₡1,593

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.65

$2.29 ₡1,023

-17.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.42

$2.95 ₡1,316

-45.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.09

$0.96 ₡429

30.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 €0.37

$2.86 ₡1,276

-85.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 €5.99

$5.00 ₡2,232

36.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 €5.53

$13.07 ₡5,829

-51.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.51 ₡1,122

-23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.08

$2.94 ₡1,311

-19.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.86 ₡830

-4.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.89 €37.52

$57.5 ₡25.7K

-25.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 €3.58

$1.81 ₡806

125.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.79 ₡797

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.54 €10.10

$5.56 ₡2,481

107.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.46 ₡651

37.67%

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

$27.0K €23.6K

$35.3K ₡15.8M

-23.56%

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

$35.9K €31.4K

$32.7K ₡14.6M

9.81%

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

$176 €154

$93.2 ₡41.6K

89.03%

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

$10.27 €8.99

$22.43 ₡10.0K

-54.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.89 €25.28

$53.5 ₡23.9K

-45.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.4 €67.7

$99.9 ₡44.6K

-22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.69 €19.86

$23.72 ₡10.6K

-4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.38 €9.08

$7.07 ₡3,152

46.82%

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

$569 €498

$518 ₡231.1K

9.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.4K

$8,686 ₡3.9M

50.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 €67.5

$62.0 ₡27.6K

24.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.72 €35.63

$23.96 ₡10.7K

69.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 €77.6

$108 ₡48.1K

-17.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €117

$108 ₡48.3K

23.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 €457

$765 ₡341.4K

-31.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 €505

$801 ₡357.3K

-27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 €600

$3,042 ₡1.4M

-77.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 €447

$888 ₡396.0K

-42.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 €2,109

$5,447 ₡2.4M

-55.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 €1,188

$3,182 ₡1.4M

-57.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,870 €1,636

$942 ₡420.1K

98.64%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tamarindo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $522 in Asti and $765 in Tamarindo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asti pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Asti vs $60.0 in Tamarindo. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $343, with Asti cheaper for home cooking.

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.

Average pay runs 99% 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: $522 in Asti versus $765 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 $61.0 versus $60.0 in Tamarindo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,674 per month in Asti versus $1,813 in Tamarindo – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,674 in Asti versus $1,813 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.