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 $2,415 per month in Bonaire vs $1,543 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,654 per month in Bonaire vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,893 per month in Bonaire vs $3,105 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Bonaire costs about 57% more than 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 80%, Costa Rica by 15%.

Bonaire has a wider regional cost range ($2,415–$2,415) than Costa Rica ($1,133–$2,084), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Bonaire.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.72 $22.72

$9.97 ₡4,535

127.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$59.4 ₡27.0K

70.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.83 $17.83

$9.74 ₡4,432

83.06%

Cappuccino

$2.54 $2.54

$3.94 ₡1,791

-35.53%

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

$3.71 $3.71

$2.11 ₡959

75.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.65 ₡752

18.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 $7.67

$2.92 ₡1,327

162.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.39 ₡1,996

58.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.07 ₡940

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.17 ₡1,441

-28.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,098

Eggs

$6.27 $6.27

$3.34 ₡1,518

87.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,202

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$9.40 ₡4,276

-5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.70 $21.70

$13.56 ₡6,169

60.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.48 ₡2,037

-23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡708

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.36 ₡1,527

9.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.86 $9.86

$3.08 ₡1,401

220.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₡1,316

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₡1,301

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.03 ₡467

277.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,145

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,227

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$16.18 ₡7,359

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,086

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,264

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡428

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.22 ₡22.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.09 $10.09

$1.87 ₡848

439.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡916

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.51 ₡686

3.97%

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

$36.3K ₡16.5M

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

$35.7K ₡16.2M

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

$578 $578

$88.7 ₡40.4K

551.10%

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

$44.43 $44.43

$25.67 ₡11.7K

73.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$118 $118

$53.8 ₡24.5K

118.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.0 $99.0

$57.7 ₡26.2K

71.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.57 $29.57

$29.09 ₡13.2K

1.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.30 $16.30

$9.00 ₡4,095

81.11%

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

$544 ₡247.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ₡33.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.9 $75.9

$53.2 ₡24.2K

42.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡54.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡45.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 $1,063

$798 ₡363.1K

33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$898 $898

$534 ₡243.0K

68.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 $1,956

$1,509 ₡686.5K

29.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$1,041 ₡473.5K

72.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡728.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,706 $1,706

$1,062 ₡482.9K

60.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

-24.03%

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

Last update for Bonaire: May 31, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,075 in Bonaire vs $776 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,075 in Kralendijk and $879 in San Jose.

Average salary: $1,680 in Bonaire vs $1,098 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 39% higher in Bonaire.

Dining out costs 100% 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 50% 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 50% 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.