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 $1,686 per month in Barreiro vs $1,344 in Jaco Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,418 per month in Barreiro vs $2,155 in Jaco Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,150 per month in Barreiro vs $2,967 in Jaco Beach, rent included.

Barreiro costs about 26% more than Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barreiro and Jaco Beach sit above the global median – Barreiro by 26%, Jaco Beach by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.12 €12.41

$7.19 ₡3,242

96.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.75 €41.08

$40.16 ₡18.1K

16.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 €8.62

$8.88 ₡4,006

10.47%

Cappuccino

$2.53 €2.22

$3.86 ₡1,740

-34.46%

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

$2.12 €1.86

$1.58 ₡711

34.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.08

$0.99 ₡449

139.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 €2.08

$2.93 ₡1,322

-19.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.06

$2.89 ₡1,304

20.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$1.39 ₡628

-22.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 €1.36

$1.98 ₡894

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.56

$2.15 ₡971

-17.67%

Eggs

$3.23 €2.84

$2.43 ₡1,095

32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 €8.06

$10.04 ₡4,527

-8.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 €6.62

$8.30 ₡3,745

-9.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.02 €12.32

$10.76 ₡4,853

30.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 €2.28

$4.56 ₡2,057

-42.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 €1.23

$1.44 ₡648

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 €1.80

$4.29 ₡1,936

-52.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 €1.30

$3.11 ₡1,404

-52.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 €1.34

$1.35 ₡608

12.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.88

$1.35 ₡608

58.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 €0.78

$0.91 ₡411

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.58

$1.74 ₡783

-62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 €5.35

$5.33 ₡2,406

14.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 €5.36

$14.16 ₡6,387

-56.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.34 ₡1,054

-44.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.94 ₡877

-41.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.31

$1.01 ₡457

47.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.72 €41.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 €3.58

$1.86 ₡839

118.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.79 ₡806

-30.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.16 €15.08

$7.70 ₡3,474

122.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.41 ₡638

35.46%

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

$34.7K €30.5K

$37.6K ₡17.0M

-7.65%

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

$39.0K €34.3K

$32.8K ₡14.8M

18.90%

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

$144 €127

$72.8 ₡32.8K

98.41%

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

$22.37 €19.66

$21.44 ₡9,672

4.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.30 €37.16

$43.10 ₡19.4K

-1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 €29.60

$47.12 ₡21.3K

-28.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 €12.24

$23.97 ₡10.8K

-41.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 €7.69

$9.68 ₡4,364

-9.50%

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

$626 €550

$446 ₡201.0K

40.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €14.0K

$6,679 ₡3.0M

139.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €77.2

$62.6 ₡28.2K

40.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.99 €34.26

$50.6 ₡22.8K

-22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 €74.8

$127 ₡57.3K

-33.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 €82.5

$107 ₡48.2K

-12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 €847

$551 ₡248.7K

74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 €707

$503 ₡227.0K

59.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 €1,325

$1,859 ₡838.6K

-18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 €983

$1,018 ₡459.0K

9.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 €3,477

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,866 €2,519

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 €823

$396 ₡178.4K

136.68%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $964 in Barreiro versus $551 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 137% 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 $47.00 in Barreiro versus $40.00 in Jaco Beach. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Barreiro vs $295 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: $1,686 in Barreiro, $1,344 in Jaco Beach – roughly 26% apart. Barreiro costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Barreiro and $2,015 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 $1,686 in Barreiro and $1,344 in Jaco Beach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $626 per month in Barreiro and $446 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 $1,344, than in Barreiro at $1,686. 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 $1,344 in Jaco Beach to $1,686 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.