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 $2,445 per month in Bonaire vs $1,535 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,688 per month in Bonaire vs $2,322 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,930 per month in Bonaire vs $3,108 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Bonaire is about 59% 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 83%, Costa Rica by 15%.

The regional cost range is wider in Bonaire ($2,445–$2,445) than in Costa Rica ($1,125–$2,081), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.95 $22.95

$10.10 ₡4,505

127.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$60.1 ₡26.8K

67.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.03 $18.03

$10.12 ₡4,516

78.16%

Cappuccino

$2.57 $2.57

$3.90 ₡1,738

-34.10%

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

$3.71 $3.71

$2.20 ₡982

68.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.67 ₡743

21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.06 ₡1,367

138.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$4.41 ₡1,969

57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.10 ₡937

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.22 ₡1,437

-30.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,115

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$3.37 ₡1,505

80.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,268

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 $9.17

$9.44 ₡4,212

-2.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.10 $22.10

$13.43 ₡5,992

64.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.67 ₡2,084

-26.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡700

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.20 ₡1,428

10.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.88 $9.88

$2.98 ₡1,330

231.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,329

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,264

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.01 ₡452

294.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,270

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$16.14 ₡7,200

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,047

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,255

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡452

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 $10.04

$1.87 ₡833

436.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡877

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,397

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.44 ₡645

5.56%

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

$36.5K ₡16.3M

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

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

$577 $577

$87.3 ₡38.9K

560.81%

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

$45.72 $45.72

$25.16 ₡11.2K

81.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$117 $117

$53.0 ₡23.7K

120.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.5 $99.5

$57.4 ₡25.6K

73.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.98 $29.98

$28.74 ₡12.8K

4.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.07 $16.07

$9.04 ₡4,035

77.77%

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

$553 ₡246.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 $73.8

$53.2 ₡23.7K

38.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 $1,059

$809 ₡360.7K

30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$894 $894

$544 ₡242.5K

64.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 $2,003

$1,466 ₡654.2K

36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 $1,734

$1,018 ₡454.0K

70.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡730.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,655 $1,655

$1,067 ₡476.1K

55.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,064 in Bonaire vs $750 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,064 in Kralendijk and $860 in San Jose.

Average salary: $1,691 in Bonaire vs $1,096 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 42% higher in Bonaire.

Dining out costs 98% more in Bonaire.

Salaries are 54% 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 53% 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 53% 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.