Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Playa del Coco

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Coco: $1,765 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Coco
Learn more

Playa del Coco Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Playa del Coco

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,765

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Playa del Coco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Playa del Coco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,765 in Playa del Coco.

Austin, TX $2,704
Playa del Coco $1,765

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,806 in Playa del Coco.

Austin, TX $4,133
Playa del Coco $2,806

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $3,847 in Playa del Coco.

Austin, TX $5,562
Playa del Coco $3,847

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 53% more expensive than in Playa del Coco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Playa del Coco 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$18.05 ₡8,137

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$57.5 ₡25.9K

48.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$11.25 ₡5,070

9.78%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$4.08 ₡1,839

34.07%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.52 ₡1,138

51.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.63 ₡736

53.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.56 ₡1,605

126.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$6.15 ₡2,774

46.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.42 ₡1,089

-53.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.88 ₡1,298

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.46 ₡1,107

32.11%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$3.44 ₡1,553

20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$10.86 ₡4,894

20.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$10.65 ₡4,800

34.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$14.23 ₡6,417

12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$5.11 ₡2,302

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.65 ₡744

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.37 ₡1,520

34.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.38 ₡1,522

23.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.00 ₡1,351

-12.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.21 ₡1,446

-26.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.08 ₡487

62.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.70 ₡1,219

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$5.59 ₡2,521

75.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$16.65 ₡7,504

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.66 ₡1,200

4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.73 ₡1,229

27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.33 ₡602

12.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.33 ₡1,501

-19.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.58 ₡713

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$8.90 ₡4,011

296.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.93 ₡870

-48.70%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$22.2K ₡10.0M

61.21%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.5K ₡15.6M

-21.28%

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

$219 $219

$94.1 ₡42.4K

132.92%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$29.60 ₡13.3K

95.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$60.8 ₡27.4K

12.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$8.08 ₡3,641

74.88%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$827 ₡372.9K

82.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$16.8K ₡7.6M

27.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$71.9 ₡32.4K

-28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$56.6 ₡25.5K

-22.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$130 ₡58.6K

-34.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$135 ₡60.6K

-21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$819 ₡369.1K

136.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$638 ₡287.7K

99.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$1,894 ₡854.1K

93.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,244 ₡561.0K

102.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$332 ₡149.6K

863.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$765 ₡344.7K

567.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

8.78

-22.67%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Playa del Coco

$638 36.4% 49.8% $634

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Playa del Coco

$375 21.4% 6.9% $28

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Playa del Coco

$274 15.6% 21.3% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Playa del Coco

$185 10.5% 46.6% $161

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Playa del Coco

$177 10.1% 37.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Playa del Coco

$88 5% 2.5% $2.1

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Playa del Coco

$17 * 1% 70.9% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $819 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 568% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $57.0 in Playa del Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $375 per month, with Playa del Coco cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇷 Playa del Coco

🕒 Local time

02:14 2:14 AM

01:14 1:14 AM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Playa del Coco 2,520 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Playa del Coco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 568% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $819 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,509 in Austin, TX versus $827 in Playa del Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Coco – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,765 in Playa del Coco versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Playa del Coco but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Coco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.