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

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,446 per month in Bonaire vs $1,674 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,683 per month in Bonaire vs $2,639 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,919 per month in Bonaire vs $3,604 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Bonaire is about 46% higher than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Bonaire and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – Bonaire by 78%, Costa Rica by 22%.

The regional cost range is wider in Bonaire ($2,446–$2,446) than in Costa Rica ($1,011–$2,175), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 $22.91

$11.02 ₡4,910

107.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$55.4 ₡24.7K

82.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.11 $18.11

$11.02 ₡4,909

64.34%

Cappuccino

$2.93 $2.93

$4.45 ₡1,982

-34.16%

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

$3.60 $3.60

$2.47 ₡1,099

45.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.96 ₡874

0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 $7.33

$3.32 ₡1,479

120.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$4.41 ₡1,967

60.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.47 ₡1,103

-24.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.58 ₡1,597

-37.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 ₡1,194

Eggs

$6.12 $6.12

$4.09 ₡1,824

49.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ₡4,412

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$10.29 ₡4,585

-13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.25 $22.25

$14.19 ₡6,321

56.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.99 ₡2,225

-31.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₡798

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.63 ₡1,615

-1.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$3.45 ₡1,536

187.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 ₡1,508

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,378

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.15 ₡511

241.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,273

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 ₡2,416

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$15.44 ₡6,880

-3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₡1,204

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₡1,519

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₡502

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 ₡29.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.13 $10.13

$2.22 ₡991

356.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ₡885

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 ₡3,992

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.58 ₡703

2.53%

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

$33.6K ₡15.0M

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

$37.0K ₡16.5M

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

$572 $572

$97.1 ₡43.3K

488.94%

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

$44.89 $44.89

$31.32 ₡14.0K

43.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$121 $121

$59.7 ₡26.6K

101.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$65.5 ₡29.2K

54.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.79 $29.79

$23.48 ₡10.5K

26.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.03 $14.03

$8.59 ₡3,826

63.33%

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

$748 ₡333.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 ₡33.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.0 $75.0

$54.1 ₡24.1K

38.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₡50.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 $1,066

$875 ₡390.0K

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 $885

$661 ₡294.7K

33.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,772 ₡789.7K

10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 $1,735

$1,205 ₡536.7K

44.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₡728.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 $1,687

$1,078 ₡480.2K

56.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

-16.32%

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

Last update for Bonaire: August 30, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,051 in Bonaire vs $820 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,051 in Kralendijk and $931 in San Jose.

Average salary: $1,688 in Bonaire vs $1,106 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 28% higher in Bonaire.

Dining out costs 85% more in Bonaire.

Salaries are 53% higher in Bonaire.

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

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

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 54% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Bonaire, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Bonaire consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 54% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Bonaire it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Costa Rica is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.