Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Playa del Coco

🙂 Solo nomad: Cartago is 14.6% cheaper than Playa del Coco without rent, and 13.3% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Cartago is 12.5% cheaper than Playa del Coco without rent, and 24.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8 ₡4,006

$15.93 ₡7,975

-49.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.92 ₡16K

$80.8 ₡40.4K

-60.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 ₡4,540

$10.05 ₡5,032

-9.75%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,929

$7.13 ₡3,571

-46.00%

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

$2.04 ₡1,020

$2.38 ₡1,193

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₡613

$1.92 ₡961

-36.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ₡1,021

$3.34 ₡1,670

-38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 ₡2,345

$5.9 ₡2,955

-20.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ₡989

$2.57 ₡1,285

-22.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.2 ₡1,103

$2.76 ₡1,383

-20.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.2 ₡1,103

$2.15 ₡1,074

2.33%

Eggs

$2.87 ₡1,439

$2.88 ₡1,441

-0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 ₡4,037

$8.42 ₡4,217

-4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.9 ₡4,456

$13.11 ₡6,562

-32.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 ₡6,946

$13.73 ₡6,873

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.4 ₡2,205

$4.46 ₡2,231

-1.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ₡585

$1.5 ₡753

-22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 ₡1,970

$4.19 ₡2,096

-6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.7 ₡1,352

$1.61 ₡804

67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 ₡989

$3.44 ₡1,722

-42.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₡968

$2.97 ₡1,486

-35.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡486

$0.98 ₡489

-1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₡1,017

$2.87 ₡1,436

-29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 ₡2,688

$5.1 ₡2,551

5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 ₡6,901

$14.13 ₡7,071

-2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.4 ₡1,203

$2.17 ₡1,085

10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₡878

$2.53 ₡1,264

-30.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₡531

$1.22 ₡609

-13.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69 ₡34.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₡677

$2.91 ₡1,458

-53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡886

$1.8 ₡900

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.7 ₡3,855

$7.7 ₡3,854

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡695

$1.91 ₡958

-27.23%

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

$37.2K ₡18.6M

$38.4K ₡19.2M

-3.00%

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

$33.1K ₡16.6M

0.15%

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

$48.99 ₡24.5K

$175 ₡87.8K

-72.07%

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

$25.87 ₡12.9K

$26.39 ₡13.2K

-1.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 ₡28.2K

$59.3 ₡29.7K

-5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡28.9K

$57.3 ₡28.7K

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 ₡12.1K

$24.26 ₡12.1K

-0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₡3,192

$10.08 ₡5,048

-36.71%

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

$490 ₡245.4K

$529 ₡265K

-7.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,079 ₡3.5M

$12.4K ₡6.2M

-43.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ₡30.9K

$62.8 ₡31.5K

-1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 ₡26.1K

-0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ₡54K

$128 ₡64.3K

-15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ₡39.8K

$105 ₡52.7K

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡388.3K

$761 ₡380.9K

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ₡303.4K

$602 ₡301.5K

0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₡367.6K

$1,502 ₡751.7K

-51.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₡377.1K

$948 ₡474.4K

-20.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$297 ₡148.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,613 ₡807.4K

$709 ₡354.8K

127.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

-1.67%

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

Last update for Cartago: October 27, 2025

Last update for Playa del Coco: October 27, 2025

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