Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Bahamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Bahamas

Name: Bahamas
Address: BS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,543 in Costa Rica versus $654 in Bahamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,324 in Costa Rica versus $1,161 in Bahamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,105 in Costa Rica versus $1,668 in Bahamas.

Living in Costa Rica is roughly 136% more expensive than Bahamas on average.

Costa Rica (15% above) and Bahamas (51% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ₡4,535

$30.54 BSD 30.54

-67.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ₡27.0K

$130 BSD 130

-54.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₡4,432

$11.49 BSD 11.49

-15.23%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₡1,791

$5.63 BSD 5.63

-30.02%

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

$2.11 ₡959

$2.55 BSD 2.55

-17.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡752

$2.03 BSD 2.03

-18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,327

$5.14 BSD 5.14

-43.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡1,996

$6.94 BSD 6.94

-36.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₡940

$4.19 BSD 4.19

-50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,441

$4.99 BSD 4.99

-36.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,098

$5.89 BSD 5.89

-59.08%

Eggs

$3.34 ₡1,518

$7.63 BSD 7.63

-56.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,202

$9.15 BSD 9.15

0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 ₡4,276

$10.40 BSD 10.40

-9.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ₡6,169

$19.59 BSD 19.59

-30.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₡2,037

$4.89 BSD 4.89

-8.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡708

$3.26 BSD 3.26

-52.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,527

$4.80 BSD 4.80

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,401

$7.26 BSD 7.26

-57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₡1,316

$3.60 BSD 3.60

-19.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₡1,301

$3.56 BSD 3.56

-19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡467

$3.01 BSD 3.01

-65.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,145

$2.53 BSD 2.53

-0.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,227

$13.74 BSD 13.74

-64.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 ₡7,359

$30.04 BSD 30.04

-46.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,086

$3.87 BSD 3.87

-38.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,264

$4.55 BSD 4.55

-38.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡428

$1.46 BSD 1.46

-35.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.22 ₡22.4K

$45.10 BSD 45.10

9.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡848

$4.56 BSD 4.56

-58.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡916

$3.06 BSD 3.06

-34.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,461

$98.7 BSD 98.7

-92.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡686

$1.49 BSD 1.49

1.34%

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

$36.3K ₡16.5M

$37.5K BSD 37.5K

-3.05%

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

$35.7K ₡16.2M

$39.0K BSD 39.0K

-8.55%

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

$88.7 ₡40.4K

$252 BSD 252

-64.74%

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

$25.67 ₡11.7K

$65.3 BSD 65.3

-60.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 ₡24.5K

$95.2 BSD 95.2

-43.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.2K

$107 BSD 107

-45.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 ₡13.2K

$60.0 BSD 60.0

-51.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 ₡4,095

$17.95 BSD 17.95

-49.86%

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

$544 ₡247.4K

$612 BSD 612

-11.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

$14.2K BSD 14.2K

-29.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ₡33.8K

$60.7 BSD 60.7

22.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡24.2K

$49.34 BSD 49.34

7.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡54.5K

$115 BSD 115

4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡45.8K

$116 BSD 116

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ₡363.1K

$1,302 BSD 1,302

-38.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₡243.0K

$1,312 BSD 1,312

-59.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ₡686.5K

$3,595 BSD 3,595

-58.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡473.5K

$3,430 BSD 3,430

-69.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 ₡1.1M

$4,198 BSD 4,198

-43.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡728.9K

$3,254 BSD 3,254

-50.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ₡482.9K

$2,458 BSD 2,458

-56.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

9.04

16.48%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bahamas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $776 in Costa Rica, $280 in Bahamas. Capital cities: $879 in San Jose vs $1,840 in Nassau.

National salary averages: $1,098 in Costa Rica, $2,237 in Bahamas. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 177% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 59% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 333% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 104% higher in Bahamas, giving Bahamas 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

Costa Rica vs Bahamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,843 per month in Bahamas and $1,609 in Costa Rica, there's a 15% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Costa Rica is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Bahamas beats Costa Rica across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Costa Rica, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Bahamas, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Costa Rica wins on affordability; Bahamas may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.