Cost of Living Comparison Between Campina Grande and Guanacaste Cost of Living Comparison Between Campina Grande and Guanacaste

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Campina Grande versus $1,597 in Guanacaste.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,161 in Campina Grande versus $2,439 in Guanacaste.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,573 in Campina Grande versus $3,281 in Guanacaste.

Living in Campina Grande costs roughly 53% less than in Guanacaste, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Campina Grande is 45% below, Guanacaste is 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 R$21.88

$10.99 ₡4,886

-61.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.44 R$152

$48.83 ₡21.7K

-39.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 R$35.31

$11.44 ₡5,084

-40.03%

Cappuccino

$1.00 R$5.17

$4.47 ₡1,986

-77.63%

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

$1.03 R$5.29

$2.60 ₡1,156

-60.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.95

$1.88 ₡833

-69.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 R$8.11

$3.15 ₡1,402

-49.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R$11.24

$4.50 ₡1,999

-51.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.88

$2.04 ₡905

-44.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 R$8.42

$3.05 ₡1,356

-46.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.59

$2.55 ₡1,135

-57.65%

Eggs

$1.80 R$9.25

$3.61 ₡1,603

-50.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 R$33.70

$5.41 ₡2,403

20.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 R$21.34

$4.49 ₡1,994

-7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 R$39.78

$10.89 ₡4,840

-29.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.16

$2.72 ₡1,209

-48.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.68 ₡745

-23.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 R$3.96

$4.56 ₡2,028

-83.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.41

$1.58 ₡704

-21.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.16

$3.82 ₡1,699

-68.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.58

$2.16 ₡962

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 R$2.40

$0.85 ₡379

-44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.50

$3.18 ₡1,415

-78.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 R$8.84

$4.52 ₡2,009

-61.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 R$41.26

$20.34 ₡9,042

-60.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.92

$2.81 ₡1,250

-59.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 R$7.71

$2.59 ₡1,152

-42.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.81

$1.36 ₡605

-31.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.07 R$201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 R$4.42

$2.45 ₡1,088

-64.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.71

$1.65 ₡732

-56.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 R$17.26

$8.89 ₡3,950

-62.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R$6.33

$1.55 ₡687

-20.65%

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

$18.7K R$96.5K

$22.3K ₡9.9M

-16.02%

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

$31.7K R$163.3K

$34.9K ₡15.5M

-9.03%

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

$111 R$570

$95.2 ₡42.3K

16.24%

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

$9.49 R$48.84

$37.20 ₡16.5K

-74.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.37 R$89.4

$32.98 ₡14.7K

-47.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.55 R$95.5

$74.6 ₡33.2K

-75.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 R$148

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 R$24.40

$8.27 ₡3,675

-42.68%

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

$82.0 R$422

$1,006 ₡447.2K

-91.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K R$58.8K

$17.2K ₡7.6M

-33.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.91 R$185

$67.5 ₡30.0K

-46.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.82 R$138

$44.71 ₡19.9K

-40.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 R$358

$89.9 ₡39.9K

-22.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.84 R$215

$78.1 ₡34.7K

-46.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,327

$814 ₡361.9K

-68.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 R$981

$646 ₡287.2K

-70.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 R$3,013

$1,844 ₡819.5K

-68.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 R$1,790

$1,269 ₡564.1K

-72.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 R$1,959

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

-43.05%

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

Last update for Campina Grande: September 14, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Campina Grande and $814 in Guanacaste. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Campina Grande vs $49.00 in Guanacaste for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $314 per month, with Campina Grande cheaper across the board.

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

Campina Grande vs Guanacaste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campina Grande is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,125 in Campina Grande and $2,395 in Guanacaste to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $258 in Campina Grande versus $814 in Guanacaste. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $82.0 in Campina Grande versus $1,006 in Guanacaste. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Campina Grande – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $49.00 in Guanacaste. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $750 in Campina Grande versus $1,597 in Guanacaste, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Campina Grande but tight or insufficient in Guanacaste. The gap between the two cities makes Campina Grande the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Campina Grande is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Guanacaste, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Campina Grande gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Guanacaste. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.