Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Cartago: $1,713 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $25,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Cartago
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Cartago Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Cartago

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,713

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cartago and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cartago and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,713 in Cartago versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

Cartago $1,713
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Cartago versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

Cartago $2,362
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,011 in Cartago versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

Cartago $3,011
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in Cartago costs roughly 55% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartago 27% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 ₡3,882

$25.32 $25.32

-65.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.53 ₡15.5K

$101 $101

-65.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 ₡4,458

$14.85 $14.85

-33.20%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$6.59 $6.59

-31.11%

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

$2.13 ₡957

$3.22 $3.22

-33.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₡611

$3.14 $3.14

-56.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ₡966

$8.18 $8.18

-73.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 ₡1,823

$8.03 $8.03

-49.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,075

$1.21 $1.21

97.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 ₡1,067

$5.12 $5.12

-53.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 ₡1,112

$6.30 $6.30

-60.79%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,604

$4.90 $4.90

-27.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 ₡3,868

$19.10 $19.10

-54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,664

$18.50 $18.50

-43.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 ₡6,265

$23.03 $23.03

-39.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 ₡2,356

$5.81 $5.81

-9.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.95 $1.95

-33.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 ₡2,018

$5.29 $5.29

-15.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 ₡1,309

$6.48 $6.48

-55.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 ₡1,006

$3.57 $3.57

-37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 ₡973

$3.15 $3.15

-31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.85 $2.85

-61.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₡979

$2.42 $2.42

-9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 ₡2,728

$12.75 $12.75

-52.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 ₡6,810

$14.99 $14.99

1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,298

$4.17 $4.17

-30.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₡914

$5.99 $5.99

-66.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ₡614

$3.04 $3.04

-54.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ₡32.9K

$110 $110

-33.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₡600

$2.55 $2.55

-47.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡703

$1.64 $1.64

-4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ₡4,023

$29.58 $29.58

-69.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡679

$1.42 $1.42

6.34%

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

$21.7K ₡9.7M

$35.7K $35.7K

-39.32%

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

$35.1K ₡15.8M

$25.6K $25.6K

37.39%

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

$52.4 ₡23.6K

$299 $299

-82.47%

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

$35.12 ₡15.8K

$70.8 $70.8

-50.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 ₡26.9K

$88.3 $88.3

-32.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$79.5 $79.5

-7.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$77.8 ₡34.9K

$35.37 $35.37

119.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ₡3,268

$17.12 $17.12

-57.54%

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

$549 ₡246.6K

$3,013 $3,013

-81.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,878 ₡3.5M

$31.6K $31.6K

-75.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 ₡31.5K

$77.2 $77.2

-9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 ₡25.4K

$55.1 $55.1

2.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₡54.5K

$126 $126

-3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 ₡39.4K

$163 $163

-46.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 ₡415.0K

$2,464 $2,464

-62.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ₡316.5K

$1,956 $1,956

-63.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 ₡839.7K

$4,711 $4,711

-60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 ₡325.4K

$3,550 $3,550

-79.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,344 ₡604.0K

$6,286 $6,286

-78.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.85

25.84%

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

Last update for Cartago: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cartago

$704 41.1%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 178% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Cartago

$348 20.3%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 55.5% $193

Eating Out

Cartago

$186 10.9%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 120% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Cartago

$151 8.8%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 25.3% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cartago

$147 8.6%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 211% $311

Sport & Entertainment

Cartago

$88 5.2%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 28.8% $25

Getting Around

Cartago

$88 5.1%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 51.5% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $923 in Cartago and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 368% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Cartago vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $542 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Cartago

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:07 2:07 AM

01:07 1:07 AM

1 h behind Cartago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,000

737,015

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cartago Seattle, WA 5,520 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Cartago
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Cartago vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 368% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $923 in Cartago versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 50% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $549 in Cartago versus $3,013 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,713 in Cartago versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Cartago and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.