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

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,535 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,319 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,378 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Costa Rica vs $4,437 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 34% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Costa Rica and Canada are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 15%, Canada by 74%.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,332–$3,143) than in Costa Rica ($1,125–$2,081), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,505

$18.63 CA$26.11

-45.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡26.8K

$74.0 CA$104

-18.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 ₡4,516

$10.92 CA$15.31

-7.33%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,738

$3.76 CA$5.28

3.72%

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

$2.20 ₡982

$2.19 CA$3.07

0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡743

$1.74 CA$2.43

-4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,367

$5.93 CA$8.31

-48.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,969

$5.95 CA$8.35

-25.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡937

$2.28 CA$3.20

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₡1,437

$2.67 CA$3.74

20.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,115

$3.78 CA$5.30

-33.86%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,505

$3.50 CA$4.90

-3.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,268

$11.70 CA$16.40

-18.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 ₡4,212

$12.30 CA$17.24

-23.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡5,992

$15.44 CA$21.65

-13.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 ₡2,084

$4.28 CA$6.00

9.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡700

$1.45 CA$2.04

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,428

$4.01 CA$5.62

-20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,330

$4.27 CA$5.98

-30.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,329

$2.69 CA$3.77

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,264

$2.65 CA$3.71

6.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡452

$2.64 CA$3.70

-61.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,117

$1.89 CA$2.65

32.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,270

$14.77 CA$20.71

-65.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₡7,200

$13.32 CA$18.67

21.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,047

$2.96 CA$4.15

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,255

$3.28 CA$4.59

-14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡452

$2.62 CA$3.67

-61.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.3K

$78.1 CA$110

-35.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡833

$3.42 CA$4.79

-45.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡877

$1.50 CA$2.10

31.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,397

$29.07 CA$40.76

-73.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡645

$1.20 CA$1.68

20.00%

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

$36.5K ₡16.3M

$25.5K CA$35.7K

43.23%

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$20.6K CA$28.8K

72.20%

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

$87.3 ₡38.9K

$152 CA$212

-42.38%

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

$25.16 ₡11.2K

$46.70 CA$65.5

-46.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡23.7K

$61.8 CA$86.7

-14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.6K

$43.36 CA$60.8

32.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.74 ₡12.8K

$18.05 CA$25.31

59.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 ₡4,035

$11.51 CA$16.13

-21.46%

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

$553 ₡246.7K

$806 CA$1,130

-31.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

$12.1K CA$17.0K

-17.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

$55.4 CA$77.6

29.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.7K

$41.80 CA$58.6

27.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.0K

$89.7 CA$126

32.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.6K

$106 CA$149

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₡360.7K

$1,329 CA$1,864

-39.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₡242.5K

$1,207 CA$1,692

-54.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 ₡654.2K

$2,112 CA$2,961

-30.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡454.0K

$1,833 CA$2,570

-44.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

$4,639 CA$6,503

-48.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡730.9K

$3,849 CA$5,396

-57.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡476.1K

$2,948 CA$4,133

-63.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

6.33

66.35%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $750 in Costa Rica vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $860 in San Jose and $1,481 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $2,904 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 71% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 33% more in Canada.

Public transport is 400% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 165% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 40% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 40% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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