Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahamas and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahamas and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $654 in Bahamas versus $1,543 in Costa Rica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,161 in Bahamas versus $2,324 in Costa Rica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Bahamas versus $3,105 in Costa Rica.

Living in Bahamas costs about 58% less than in Costa Rica on average.

Bahamas (51% below) and Costa Rica (15% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.54 BSD 30.54

$9.97 ₡4,535

206.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 BSD 130

$59.4 ₡27.0K

119.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 BSD 11.49

$9.74 ₡4,432

17.97%

Cappuccino

$5.63 BSD 5.63

$3.94 ₡1,791

42.89%

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

$2.55 BSD 2.55

$2.11 ₡959

20.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 BSD 2.03

$1.65 ₡752

23.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 BSD 5.14

$2.92 ₡1,327

76.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 BSD 6.94

$4.39 ₡1,996

58.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.19 BSD 4.19

$2.07 ₡940

102.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 BSD 4.99

$3.17 ₡1,441

57.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 BSD 5.89

$2.41 ₡1,098

144.40%

Eggs

$7.63 BSD 7.63

$3.34 ₡1,518

128.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 BSD 9.15

$9.24 ₡4,202

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 BSD 10.40

$9.40 ₡4,276

10.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.59 BSD 19.59

$13.56 ₡6,169

44.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 BSD 4.89

$4.48 ₡2,037

9.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 BSD 3.26

$1.56 ₡708

108.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 BSD 4.80

$3.36 ₡1,527

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.26 BSD 7.26

$3.08 ₡1,401

135.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 BSD 3.60

$2.89 ₡1,316

24.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.56 BSD 3.56

$2.86 ₡1,301

24.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 BSD 3.01

$1.03 ₡467

192.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 BSD 2.53

$2.52 ₡1,145

0.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.74 BSD 13.74

$4.90 ₡2,227

180.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$30.04 BSD 30.04

$16.18 ₡7,359

85.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 BSD 3.87

$2.39 ₡1,086

61.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 BSD 4.55

$2.78 ₡1,264

63.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 BSD 1.46

$0.94 ₡428

55.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.10 BSD 45.10

$49.22 ₡22.4K

-8.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 BSD 4.56

$1.87 ₡848

143.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 BSD 3.06

$2.01 ₡916

52.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$98.7 BSD 98.7

$7.61 ₡3,461

1196.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BSD 1.49

$1.51 ₡686

-1.32%

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

$37.5K BSD 37.5K

$36.3K ₡16.5M

3.15%

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

$39.0K BSD 39.0K

$35.7K ₡16.2M

9.35%

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

$252 BSD 252

$88.7 ₡40.4K

183.64%

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

$65.3 BSD 65.3

$25.67 ₡11.7K

154.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.2 BSD 95.2

$53.8 ₡24.5K

76.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 BSD 107

$57.7 ₡26.2K

84.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.0 BSD 60.0

$29.09 ₡13.2K

106.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.95 BSD 17.95

$9.00 ₡4,095

99.44%

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

$612 BSD 612

$544 ₡247.4K

12.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K BSD 14.2K

$10.0K ₡4.6M

41.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 BSD 60.7

$74.3 ₡33.8K

-18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 BSD 49.34

$53.2 ₡24.2K

-7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 BSD 115

$120 ₡54.5K

-4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 BSD 116

$101 ₡45.8K

14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 BSD 1,302

$798 ₡363.1K

63.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 BSD 1,312

$534 ₡243.0K

145.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,595 BSD 3,595

$1,509 ₡686.5K

138.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,430 BSD 3,430

$1,041 ₡473.5K

229.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,198 BSD 4,198

$2,382 ₡1.1M

76.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,254 BSD 3,254

$1,603 ₡728.9K

103.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,458 BSD 2,458

$1,062 ₡482.9K

131.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.04

10.53

-14.15%

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

Last update for Bahamas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $280 in Bahamas, $776 in Costa Rica. Capital cities: $1,840 in Nassau vs $879 in San Jose.

National salary averages: $2,237 in Bahamas, $1,098 in Costa Rica. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 177% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 59% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 333% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 104% higher in Bahamas, giving Bahamas stronger purchasing power.

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

Bahamas vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,843 per month in Bahamas and $1,609 in Costa Rica, there's a 15% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Costa Rica is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Bahamas beats Costa Rica across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Costa Rica, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Bahamas, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Costa Rica wins on affordability; Bahamas may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.