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 $2,214 per month in Canada vs $1,674 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,247 per month in Canada vs $2,639 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,279 per month in Canada vs $3,604 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 32% 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 61%, Costa Rica by 22%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($891–$3,752) than in Costa Rica ($1,011–$2,175), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.90

$11.02 ₡4,910

63.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$98.7

$55.4 ₡24.7K

28.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 CA$15.10

$11.02 ₡4,909

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.37

$4.45 ₡1,982

-12.81%

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

$2.17 CA$3.01

$2.47 ₡1,099

-12.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.96 ₡874

-14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 CA$8.03

$3.32 ₡1,479

74.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.05

$4.41 ₡1,967

31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.47 ₡1,103

-11.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$3.58 ₡1,597

-23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.11

$2.68 ₡1,194

37.69%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.09

$4.09 ₡1,824

-10.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 CA$15.00

$9.90 ₡4,412

9.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.20 CA$16.89

$10.29 ₡4,585

18.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 CA$21.58

$14.19 ₡6,321

9.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.79

$4.99 ₡2,225

-16.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.96

$1.79 ₡798

-20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.63 ₡1,615

10.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.78

$3.45 ₡1,536

20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$3.38 ₡1,508

-19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.52

$3.09 ₡1,378

-17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.55

$1.15 ₡511

123.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$2.86 ₡1,273

-39.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$5.42 ₡2,416

166.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$15.44 ₡6,880

-11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$4.01

$2.70 ₡1,204

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$3.41 ₡1,519

-4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.43

$1.13 ₡502

119.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 CA$104

$66.7 ₡29.7K

12.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.31

$2.22 ₡991

40.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.99 ₡885

-25.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$37.90

$8.96 ₡3,992

205.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.58 ₡703

-25.95%

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

$28.1K CA$38.9K

$33.6K ₡15.0M

-16.23%

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

$20.0K CA$27.7K

$37.0K ₡16.5M

-45.97%

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

$154 CA$214

$97.1 ₡43.3K

58.95%

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

$43.31 CA$60.0

$31.32 ₡14.0K

38.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$83.5

$59.7 ₡26.6K

1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 CA$57.1

$65.5 ₡29.2K

-37.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 CA$27.80

$23.48 ₡10.5K

-14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 CA$16.12

$8.59 ₡3,826

35.51%

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

$782 CA$1,083

$748 ₡333.3K

4.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.5K

$12.6K ₡5.6M

17.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.1

$75.6 ₡33.7K

-27.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 CA$55.0

$54.1 ₡24.1K

-26.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 CA$125

$129 ₡57.7K

-30.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$148

$113 ₡50.5K

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 CA$1,824

$875 ₡390.0K

50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 CA$1,572

$661 ₡294.7K

71.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 CA$2,892

$1,772 ₡789.7K

17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 CA$2,505

$1,205 ₡536.7K

50.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,846 CA$6,710

$2,413 ₡1.1M

100.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,928 CA$5,439

$1,634 ₡728.0K

140.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,998 CA$4,151

$1,078 ₡480.2K

178.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

9.56

-49.16%

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

Last update for Canada: August 31, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,225 in Canada vs $820 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,501 in Ottawa and $931 in San Jose.

Average salary: $2,968 in Canada vs $1,106 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 49% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 25% more in Canada.

Public transport is 321% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 168% 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 46% 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 46% 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.