Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Perez Zeledon Cost of Living Comparison Between Castello de la Plana and Perez Zeledon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,491 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $1,190 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,182 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $1,943 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,873 per month in Castello de la Plana vs $2,695 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Castello de la Plana costs about 25% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Castello de la Plana sits 12% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 €13.04

$6.88 ₡3,105

120.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 €50.2

$39.38 ₡17.8K

47.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 €6.92

$10.24 ₡4,621

-21.48%

Cappuccino

$2.42 €2.08

$3.88 ₡1,749

-37.63%

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

$2.37 €2.04

$1.51 ₡680

56.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.66 ₡748

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 €2.44

$2.90 ₡1,310

-2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.94

$4.64 ₡2,092

-26.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.00 ₡904

-43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.79 ₡1,259

-23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.25 ₡1,014

-13.78%

Eggs

$3.03 €2.61

$2.62 ₡1,183

15.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.88 €12.81

$8.25 ₡3,724

80.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 €7.20

$8.90 ₡4,013

-6.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 €13.29

$13.53 ₡6,105

14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.24

$4.44 ₡2,003

-41.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.01 ₡455

71.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$4.13 ₡1,864

-60.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.24

$3.46 ₡1,559

-24.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.81 ₡1,267

-34.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.82 ₡1,272

-34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.38 ₡173

281.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 €0.55

$2.80 ₡1,264

-77.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.87

$5.09 ₡2,294

33.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 €4.57

$22.08 ₡9,962

-75.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.94

$2.24 ₡1,011

-50.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.52 ₡684

57.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.69 ₡309

97.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.37 €14.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.77

$1.79 ₡809

144.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 €0.85

$1.85 ₡833

-46.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.07 €12.98

$7.74 ₡3,493

94.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.36 ₡612

34.56%

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

$38.1K €32.8K

$38.2K ₡17.2M

-0.45%

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

$32.1K €27.7K

$32.4K ₡14.6M

-0.74%

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

$135 €116

$92.4 ₡41.7K

45.82%

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

$19.33 €16.64

$21.50 ₡9,700

-10.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.48 €23.66

$59.3 ₡26.8K

-53.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.35 €39.91

$29.66 ₡13.4K

56.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.96 €12.88

$23.81 ₡10.7K

-37.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.01 €6.90

$9.71 ₡4,379

-17.51%

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

$587 €506

$491 ₡221.7K

19.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,070 €6,949

$12.7K ₡5.7M

-36.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 €56.7

$61.5 ₡27.7K

7.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.27 €19.18

$50.9 ₡23.0K

-56.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.8

$124 ₡56.0K

-14.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €102

$109 ₡49.3K

8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 €626

$339 ₡152.8K

114.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 €521

$270 ₡122.0K

123.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 €862

$1,509 ₡680.8K

-33.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 €661

$639 ₡288.2K

20.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,879 €1,618

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,439 €1,239

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 €1,607

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

-64.44%

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

Last update for Castello de la Plana: June 15, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Castello de la Plana versus $339 in Perez Zeledon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Castello de la Plana versus $39.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Castello de la Plana vs $347 in Perez Zeledon – so Castello de la Plana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Castello de la Plana vs Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,491 in Castello de la Plana, $1,190 in Perez Zeledon – roughly 25% apart. Castello de la Plana costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,237 per month in Castello de la Plana and $1,784 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,491 in Castello de la Plana and $1,190 in Perez Zeledon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $587 per month in Castello de la Plana and $491 in Perez Zeledon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,190, than in Castello de la Plana at $1,491. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castello de la Plana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Perez Zeledon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castello de la Plana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.