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

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,319 per month in Canada vs $1,535 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Canada vs $2,322 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,437 per month in Canada vs $3,108 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 51% higher than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Canada and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – Canada by 74%, Costa Rica by 15%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,332–$3,143) than in Costa Rica ($1,125–$2,081), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 CA$26.11

$10.10 ₡4,505

84.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$60.1 ₡26.8K

23.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.31

$10.12 ₡4,516

7.91%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.90 ₡1,738

-3.59%

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

$2.19 CA$3.07

$2.20 ₡982

-0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.67 ₡743

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.31

$3.06 ₡1,367

93.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.35

$4.41 ₡1,969

34.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.20

$2.10 ₡937

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.74

$3.22 ₡1,437

-17.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.30

$2.50 ₡1,115

51.20%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.90

$3.37 ₡1,505

3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.40

$9.57 ₡4,268

22.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 CA$17.24

$9.44 ₡4,212

30.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 CA$21.65

$13.43 ₡5,992

14.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.00

$4.67 ₡2,084

-8.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.57 ₡700

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.62

$3.20 ₡1,428

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.98

$2.98 ₡1,330

43.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$2.98 ₡1,329

-9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$2.83 ₡1,264

-6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.01 ₡452

161.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$2.50 ₡1,117

-24.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.71

$5.09 ₡2,270

190.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 CA$18.67

$16.14 ₡7,200

-17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.15

$2.35 ₡1,047

25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.59

$2.81 ₡1,255

16.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$1.01 ₡452

159.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 CA$110

$49.99 ₡22.3K

56.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.79

$1.87 ₡833

82.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.97 ₡877

-23.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 CA$40.76

$7.61 ₡3,397

282.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.44 ₡645

-16.67%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$36.5K ₡16.3M

-30.18%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$35.4K ₡15.8M

-41.93%

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

$152 CA$212

$87.3 ₡38.9K

73.55%

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

$46.70 CA$65.5

$25.16 ₡11.2K

85.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 CA$86.7

$53.0 ₡23.7K

16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 CA$60.8

$57.4 ₡25.6K

-24.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 CA$25.31

$28.74 ₡12.8K

-37.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 CA$16.13

$9.04 ₡4,035

27.32%

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

$806 CA$1,130

$553 ₡246.7K

45.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$17.0K

$9,994 ₡4.5M

21.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.6

$71.6 ₡32.0K

-22.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 CA$58.6

$53.2 ₡23.7K

-21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$126

$119 ₡53.0K

-24.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$102 ₡45.6K

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 CA$1,864

$809 ₡360.7K

64.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,692

$544 ₡242.5K

122.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 CA$2,961

$1,466 ₡654.2K

44.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,570

$1,018 ₡454.0K

80.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,639 CA$6,503

$2,398 ₡1.1M

93.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,849 CA$5,396

$1,638 ₡730.9K

134.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,133

$1,067 ₡476.1K

176.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

10.53

-39.89%

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

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $750 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,481 in Ottawa and $860 in San Jose.

Average salary: $2,904 in Canada 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 71% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 33% more in Canada.

Public transport is 400% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 165% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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

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

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 40% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 40% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Canada 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.