Cost of Living Comparison Between Barreiro and Jaco Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Barreiro and Jaco Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,685 per month in Barreiro vs $1,318 in Jaco Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,400 per month in Barreiro vs $2,123 in Jaco Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,116 per month in Barreiro vs $2,928 in Jaco Beach, rent included.

Barreiro costs about 28% more than Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barreiro sits 25% above the global median, while Jaco Beach is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.13 €12.02

$6.98 ₡3,189

102.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.46 €38.69

$39.46 ₡18.0K

15.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 €8.44

$9.11 ₡4,162

8.89%

Cappuccino

$2.56 €2.18

$3.95 ₡1,806

-35.19%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$1.53 ₡701

45.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.00

$0.92 ₡422

156.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 €2.01

$2.95 ₡1,345

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.00

$2.90 ₡1,324

21.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 €0.88

$1.39 ₡635

-25.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 €1.34

$2.01 ₡917

-21.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 €1.47

$2.15 ₡983

-19.53%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.73

$2.42 ₡1,108

32.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 €7.74

$9.68 ₡4,421

-5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 €6.75

$8.36 ₡3,819

-5.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 €12.18

$11.10 ₡5,072

28.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.23

$4.61 ₡2,108

-43.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 €1.23

$1.52 ₡696

-4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.80

$4.12 ₡1,884

-48.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.23

$3.15 ₡1,437

-53.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.38 ₡632

5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

$1.33 ₡610

67.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 €0.75

$0.89 ₡408

-1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.57

$1.78 ₡812

-62.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 €5.20

$5.15 ₡2,353

18.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 €5.52

$13.93 ₡6,365

-53.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.10

$2.42 ₡1,106

-46.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.97 ₡901

-42.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 €1.21

$1.00 ₡458

42.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.55 €38.76

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 €3.53

$1.88 ₡857

120.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.02

$1.81 ₡827

-33.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.34 €14.76

$7.96 ₡3,637

117.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.67

$1.47 ₡673

34.01%

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

$35.2K €29.9K

$37.9K ₡17.3M

-7.19%

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

$39.1K €33.3K

$31.9K ₡14.6M

22.61%

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

$146 €124

$71.0 ₡32.4K

105.44%

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

$22.34 €19.01

$22.01 ₡10.1K

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.34 €36.89

$42.16 ₡19.3K

2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.43 €28.45

$47.47 ₡21.7K

-29.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.63 €11.60

$24.05 ₡11.0K

-43.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 €7.26

$10.00 ₡4,567

-14.70%

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

$640 €545

$444 ₡202.7K

44.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.0K

$6,662 ₡3.0M

146.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 €72.9

$61.4 ₡28.0K

39.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 €33.12

$50.5 ₡23.1K

-22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 €75.2

$125 ₡57.1K

-29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 €79.2

$109 ₡49.6K

-14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 €841

$547 ₡249.8K

80.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 €687

$494 ₡225.6K

63.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 €1,266

$1,893 ₡864.7K

-21.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 €954

$1,041 ₡475.4K

7.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,182 €3,559

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,967 €2,525

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 €819

$397 ₡181.3K

142.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

10.17

-46.61%

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

Last update for Barreiro: April 12, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $988 in Barreiro versus $547 in Jaco Beach. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 142% higher in Barreiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Barreiro versus $39 in Jaco Beach. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Barreiro vs $297 in Jaco Beach – so Barreiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Barreiro vs Jaco Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,685 in Barreiro, $1,318 in Jaco Beach – roughly 28% apart. Barreiro costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,527 per month in Barreiro and $1,976 in Jaco Beach. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaco Beach, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,685 in Barreiro and $1,318 in Jaco Beach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $640 per month in Barreiro and $444 in Jaco Beach. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaco Beach, where all-in costs run around $1,318, than in Barreiro at $1,685. In Jaco Beach it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barreiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Jaco Beach has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,318 in Jaco Beach to $1,685 in Barreiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jaco Beach. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barreiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.