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 $4,000 per month in Cayman Islands vs $1,535 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,654 per month in Cayman Islands vs $2,322 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,308 per month in Cayman Islands vs $3,108 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Cayman Islands is about 161% 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 199%, Costa Rica by 15%.

Cost ranges are similar: Cayman Islands spans $3,596–$4,618, Costa Rica $1,125–$2,081. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.97 KYD 21.30

$10.10 ₡4,505

157.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 KYD 116

$60.1 ₡26.8K

135.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.19 KYD 11.64

$10.12 ₡4,516

40.22%

Cappuccino

$6.78 KYD 5.56

$3.90 ₡1,738

73.85%

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

$3.73 KYD 3.06

$2.20 ₡982

69.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 KYD 2.52

$1.67 ₡743

83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.12 KYD 7.48

$3.06 ₡1,367

198.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 KYD 5.82

$4.41 ₡1,969

61.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 KYD 2.33

$2.10 ₡937

35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$5.51 KYD 4.52

$3.22 ₡1,437

71.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.26 KYD 5.13

$2.50 ₡1,115

150.40%

Eggs

$8.56 KYD 7.02

$3.37 ₡1,505

154.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 KYD 10.33

$9.57 ₡4,268

31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.88 KYD 14.67

$9.44 ₡4,212

89.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 KYD 14.06

$13.43 ₡5,992

27.62%

Apples (1kg)

$11.42 KYD 9.36

$4.67 ₡2,084

144.54%

Banana (1kg)

$4.74 KYD 3.89

$1.57 ₡700

201.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.32 KYD 6.82

$3.20 ₡1,428

160.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.20 KYD 6.72

$2.98 ₡1,330

175.17%

Potato (1kg)

$5.78 KYD 4.74

$2.98 ₡1,329

93.96%

Onion (1kg)

$5.45 KYD 4.47

$2.83 ₡1,264

92.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.02 KYD 4.93

$1.01 ₡452

496.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 KYD 2.59

$2.50 ₡1,117

26.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.07 KYD 12.36

$5.09 ₡2,270

196.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.70 KYD 19.43

$16.14 ₡7,200

46.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 KYD 3.51

$2.35 ₡1,047

82.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 KYD 4.63

$2.81 ₡1,255

101.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 KYD 2.44

$1.01 ₡452

195.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 KYD 24.88

$49.99 ₡22.3K

-39.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.91 KYD 14.68

$1.87 ₡833

857.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.95 KYD 4.06

$1.97 ₡877

151.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 KYD 48.52

$7.61 ₡3,397

677.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 KYD 1.43

$1.44 ₡645

20.83%

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

$36.3K KYD 29.7K

$36.5K ₡16.3M

-0.56%

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

$35.8K KYD 29.4K

$35.4K ₡15.8M

1.10%

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

$422 KYD 346

$87.3 ₡38.9K

383.60%

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

$99.3 KYD 81.4

$25.16 ₡11.2K

294.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$117 KYD 96.1

$53.0 ₡23.7K

121.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$155 KYD 127

$57.4 ₡25.6K

169.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 KYD 44.08

$28.74 ₡12.8K

87.06%

Cinema Ticket

$18.29 KYD 15.00

$9.04 ₡4,035

102.32%

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

$1,646 KYD 1,350

$553 ₡246.7K

197.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K KYD 21.0K

$9,994 ₡4.5M

156.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 KYD 74.5

$71.6 ₡32.0K

26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.2 KYD 58.4

$53.2 ₡23.7K

33.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 KYD 116

$119 ₡53.0K

18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 KYD 116

$102 ₡45.6K

38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 KYD 2,391

$809 ₡360.7K

260.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 KYD 1,874

$544 ₡242.5K

320.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,741 KYD 4,708

$1,466 ₡654.2K

291.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,648 KYD 3,812

$1,018 ₡454.0K

356.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K KYD 10.7K

$2,398 ₡1.1M

445.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,536 KYD 6,179

$1,638 ₡730.9K

359.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,854 KYD 6,440

$1,067 ₡476.1K

636.00%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $2,705 in Cayman Islands vs $750 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,806 in George Town and $860 in San Jose.

Average salary: $7,699 in Cayman Islands vs $1,096 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 261% higher in Cayman Islands.

Dining out costs 182% more in Cayman Islands.

Public transport is 30% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 602% 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 156% 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 156% 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.