Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayman Islands and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayman Islands and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,540 per month in Cayman Islands vs $1,660 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,193 per month in Cayman Islands vs $2,621 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,845 per month in Cayman Islands vs $3,581 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Cayman Islands is about 173% higher than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Cayman Islands and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – Cayman Islands by 229%, Costa Rica by 20%.

Cost ranges are similar: Cayman Islands spans $3,934–$4,860, Costa Rica $996–$2,154. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.98 KYD 24.58

$10.89 ₡4,874

175.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 KYD 95.1

$55.8 ₡25.0K

107.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 KYD 11.89

$10.81 ₡4,839

34.23%

Cappuccino

$6.90 KYD 5.66

$4.52 ₡2,021

52.65%

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

$3.32 KYD 2.72

$2.45 ₡1,095

35.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$1.89 ₡844

43.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 KYD 5.80

$3.30 ₡1,476

114.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 KYD 7.41

$4.61 ₡2,064

96.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.26 KYD 3.49

$2.42 ₡1,085

76.03%

White Bread (500g)

$4.64 KYD 3.81

$3.60 ₡1,613

28.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 KYD 4.20

$2.70 ₡1,207

90.00%

Eggs

$7.46 KYD 6.12

$4.01 ₡1,796

86.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$48.10 KYD 39.44

$10.21 ₡4,568

371.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.10 KYD 16.48

$10.38 ₡4,647

93.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.38 KYD 16.71

$13.83 ₡6,190

47.36%

Apples (1kg)

$8.07 KYD 6.62

$5.08 ₡2,272

58.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.64 KYD 2.99

$1.75 ₡782

108.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.88 KYD 5.64

$3.52 ₡1,575

95.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.74 KYD 6.35

$3.23 ₡1,446

139.63%

Potato (1kg)

$4.54 KYD 3.72

$3.34 ₡1,496

35.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 KYD 3.15

$3.18 ₡1,422

20.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.55 KYD 2.91

$1.08 ₡483

228.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 KYD 2.05

$2.68 ₡1,200

-6.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 KYD 11.88

$5.57 ₡2,495

160.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.82 KYD 19.53

$15.23 ₡6,817

56.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 KYD 3.62

$2.67 ₡1,196

65.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 KYD 4.32

$3.33 ₡1,490

58.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 KYD 2.00

$1.09 ₡486

123.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 KYD 66.9

$65.4 ₡29.3K

24.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.04 KYD 15.61

$2.20 ₡983

765.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.75 KYD 3.07

$1.94 ₡870

93.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.84 KYD 37.59

$8.87 ₡3,969

416.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KYD 1.31

$1.60 ₡718

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

$42.7K KYD 35.1K

$32.7K ₡14.6M

30.90%

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

$39.8K KYD 32.6K

$36.3K ₡16.3M

9.49%

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

$483 KYD 396

$95.2 ₡42.6K

407.88%

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

$118 KYD 96.5

$31.50 ₡14.1K

273.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$115 KYD 94.7

$59.7 ₡26.7K

93.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$200 KYD 164

$66.3 ₡29.7K

201.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.15 KYD 39.48

$23.60 ₡10.6K

104.03%

Cinema Ticket

$18.98 KYD 15.57

$8.21 ₡3,676

131.18%

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

$1,784 KYD 1,463

$726 ₡324.9K

145.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K KYD 21.4K

$12.8K ₡5.7M

103.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 KYD 71.2

$74.6 ₡33.4K

16.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.6 KYD 65.2

$53.6 ₡24.0K

48.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 KYD 110

$125 ₡56.0K

6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 KYD 121

$107 ₡47.7K

38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,955 KYD 2,423

$884 ₡395.5K

234.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 KYD 1,878

$641 ₡286.7K

257.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,706 KYD 4,679

$1,743 ₡779.9K

227.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,612 KYD 3,782

$1,168 ₡522.7K

294.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.2K KYD 10.8K

$2,400 ₡1.1M

448.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,685 KYD 6,302

$1,671 ₡748.0K

359.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,820 KYD 6,413

$1,083 ₡484.5K

622.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

9.56

-24.69%

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

Last update for Cayman Islands: September 7, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $3,562 in Cayman Islands vs $816 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,915 in George Town and $960 in San Jose.

Average salary: $7,706 in Cayman Islands 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 337% higher in Cayman Islands.

Dining out costs 115% more in Cayman Islands.

Public transport is 93% more expensive in Cayman Islands.

Salaries are 597% higher in Cayman Islands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Cayman Islands.

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

Cayman Islands vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 179% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Cayman Islands, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Cayman Islands consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 179% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Cayman Islands 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.