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 $4,034 per month in Cayman Islands vs $1,543 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,659 per month in Cayman Islands vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,284 per month in Cayman Islands vs $3,105 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Cayman Islands costs about 161% more than 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 201%, Costa Rica by 15%.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Cayman Islands spans $3,604–$4,602, Costa Rica spans $1,133–$2,084. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.20 KYD 21.49

$9.97 ₡4,535

162.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 KYD 117

$59.4 ₡27.0K

140.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.25 KYD 11.68

$9.74 ₡4,432

46.30%

Cappuccino

$6.72 KYD 5.51

$3.94 ₡1,791

70.56%

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

$3.79 KYD 3.11

$2.11 ₡959

79.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KYD 2.63

$1.65 ₡752

93.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 KYD 7.46

$2.92 ₡1,327

211.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 KYD 5.78

$4.39 ₡1,996

60.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 KYD 2.45

$2.07 ₡940

43.96%

White Bread (500g)

$5.51 KYD 4.52

$3.17 ₡1,441

73.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.04 KYD 4.95

$2.41 ₡1,098

150.62%

Eggs

$8.61 KYD 7.06

$3.34 ₡1,518

157.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 KYD 10.40

$9.24 ₡4,202

37.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.52 KYD 14.36

$9.40 ₡4,276

86.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.58 KYD 13.60

$13.56 ₡6,169

22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$11.53 KYD 9.45

$4.48 ₡2,037

157.37%

Banana (1kg)

$4.70 KYD 3.86

$1.56 ₡708

201.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.14 KYD 6.67

$3.36 ₡1,527

142.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.91 KYD 6.49

$3.08 ₡1,401

156.82%

Potato (1kg)

$5.69 KYD 4.66

$2.89 ₡1,316

96.89%

Onion (1kg)

$5.70 KYD 4.68

$2.86 ₡1,301

99.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.96 KYD 4.89

$1.03 ₡467

478.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 KYD 2.55

$2.52 ₡1,145

23.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 KYD 12.15

$4.90 ₡2,227

202.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.07 KYD 19.74

$16.18 ₡7,359

48.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.12 KYD 3.38

$2.39 ₡1,086

72.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 KYD 4.42

$2.78 ₡1,264

94.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 KYD 2.49

$0.94 ₡428

222.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.86 KYD 24.48

$49.22 ₡22.4K

-39.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.04 KYD 14.79

$1.87 ₡848

864.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.02 KYD 4.11

$2.01 ₡916

149.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.9 KYD 49.11

$7.61 ₡3,461

686.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 KYD 1.47

$1.51 ₡686

19.21%

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

$35.7K KYD 29.3K

$36.3K ₡16.5M

-1.65%

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

$35.1K KYD 28.8K

$35.7K ₡16.2M

-1.67%

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

$428 KYD 351

$88.7 ₡40.4K

382.15%

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

$99.4 KYD 81.5

$25.67 ₡11.7K

287.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$119 KYD 97.4

$53.8 ₡24.5K

120.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$150 KYD 123

$57.7 ₡26.2K

160.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.2 KYD 43.59

$29.09 ₡13.2K

82.74%

Cinema Ticket

$18.39 KYD 15.08

$9.00 ₡4,095

104.33%

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

$1,654 KYD 1,356

$544 ₡247.4K

204.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K KYD 21.0K

$10.0K ₡4.6M

155.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 KYD 75.5

$74.3 ₡33.8K

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 KYD 57.3

$53.2 ₡24.2K

31.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 KYD 116

$120 ₡54.5K

17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 KYD 117

$101 ₡45.8K

41.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,880 KYD 2,362

$798 ₡363.1K

260.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 KYD 1,897

$534 ₡243.0K

332.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,706 KYD 4,679

$1,509 ₡686.5K

278.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,773 KYD 3,914

$1,041 ₡473.5K

358.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.2K KYD 10.8K

$2,382 ₡1.1M

452.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,627 KYD 6,254

$1,603 ₡728.9K

375.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,719 KYD 6,329

$1,062 ₡482.9K

627.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.54

10.53

-28.40%

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

Last update for Cayman Islands: May 30, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $2,726 in Cayman Islands vs $776 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,839 in George Town and $879 in San Jose.

Average salary: $6,743 in Cayman Islands vs $1,098 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 251% higher in Cayman Islands.

Dining out costs 184% more in Cayman Islands.

Public transport is 30% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 514% higher in Cayman Islands, giving Cayman Islands stronger purchasing power.

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 155% 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 155% 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.