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 $2,316 per month in Canada vs $1,543 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Canada vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,436 per month in Canada vs $3,105 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Canada costs about 50% more than 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 73%, Costa Rica by 15%.

Canada has a wider regional cost range ($1,310–$3,100) than Costa Rica ($1,133–$2,084), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Canada.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.44 CA$25.64

$9.97 ₡4,556

84.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$59.4 ₡27.1K

25.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.13

$9.74 ₡4,452

11.70%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.42

$3.94 ₡1,799

-1.02%

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

$2.16 CA$3.01

$2.11 ₡964

2.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$1.65 ₡756

4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$7.98

$2.92 ₡1,333

96.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.41

$4.39 ₡2,006

37.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.06

$2.07 ₡944

6.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.83

$3.17 ₡1,448

-13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$2.41 ₡1,103

51.87%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.34 ₡1,525

8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.29

$9.24 ₡4,221

26.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 CA$17.08

$9.40 ₡4,296

30.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.69

$13.56 ₡6,197

9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.75

$4.48 ₡2,046

-7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$1.56 ₡711

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.27

$3.36 ₡1,534

12.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.68

$3.08 ₡1,408

32.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$2.89 ₡1,322

-5.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.85

$2.86 ₡1,307

-3.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.03 ₡469

154.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$2.52 ₡1,151

-25.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.57

$4.90 ₡2,237

201.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.19

$16.18 ₡7,392

-19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.21

$2.39 ₡1,091

26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 CA$4.74

$2.78 ₡1,269

22.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$0.94 ₡430

168.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$49.22 ₡22.5K

58.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.85

$1.87 ₡852

86.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$2.01 ₡920

-26.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 CA$39.29

$7.61 ₡3,477

271.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.51 ₡689

-23.84%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$36.3K ₡16.6M

-29.96%

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

$20.6K CA$28.7K

$35.7K ₡16.3M

-42.17%

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

$155 CA$215

$88.7 ₡40.5K

74.49%

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

$45.76 CA$63.6

$25.67 ₡11.7K

78.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$86.4

$53.8 ₡24.6K

15.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.67 CA$60.7

$57.7 ₡26.4K

-24.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 CA$25.22

$29.09 ₡13.3K

-37.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.83

$9.00 ₡4,113

26.44%

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

$798 CA$1,109

$544 ₡248.5K

46.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$10.0K ₡4.6M

21.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$79.0

$74.3 ₡33.9K

-23.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.19 CA$58.7

$53.2 ₡24.3K

-20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 CA$122

$120 ₡54.7K

-26.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$101 ₡46.0K

5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 CA$1,890

$798 ₡364.8K

70.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 CA$1,674

$534 ₡244.1K

125.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 CA$2,970

$1,509 ₡689.7K

41.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CA$2,586

$1,041 ₡475.7K

78.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,642 CA$6,455

$2,382 ₡1.1M

94.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 CA$5,357

$1,603 ₡732.2K

140.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 CA$4,212

$1,062 ₡485.1K

185.27%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $776 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,500 in Ottawa and $879 in San Jose.

Average salary: $2,972 in Canada 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 65% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 33% more in Canada.

Public transport is 400% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 171% higher in Canada, giving Canada stronger purchasing power.

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 37% 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 37% 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.