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

Name: Cayman Islands
Address: KY

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 62% lower than in Cayman Islands on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Costa Rica and Cayman Islands are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 15%, Cayman Islands by 199%.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,505

$25.97 KYD 21.30

-61.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡26.8K

$142 KYD 116

-57.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 ₡4,516

$14.19 KYD 11.64

-28.68%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,738

$6.78 KYD 5.56

-42.48%

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

$2.20 ₡982

$3.73 KYD 3.06

-41.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡743

$3.07 KYD 2.52

-45.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,367

$9.12 KYD 7.48

-66.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,969

$7.10 KYD 5.82

-37.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡937

$2.84 KYD 2.33

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₡1,437

$5.51 KYD 4.52

-41.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,115

$6.26 KYD 5.13

-60.06%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,505

$8.56 KYD 7.02

-60.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,268

$12.60 KYD 10.33

-24.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 ₡4,212

$17.88 KYD 14.67

-47.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡5,992

$17.14 KYD 14.06

-21.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 ₡2,084

$11.42 KYD 9.36

-59.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡700

$4.74 KYD 3.89

-66.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,428

$8.32 KYD 6.82

-61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,330

$8.20 KYD 6.72

-63.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,329

$5.78 KYD 4.74

-48.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,264

$5.45 KYD 4.47

-48.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡452

$6.02 KYD 4.93

-83.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,117

$3.16 KYD 2.59

-20.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,270

$15.07 KYD 12.36

-66.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₡7,200

$23.70 KYD 19.43

-31.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,047

$4.28 KYD 3.51

-45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,255

$5.65 KYD 4.63

-50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡452

$2.98 KYD 2.44

-66.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.3K

$30.34 KYD 24.88

64.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡833

$17.91 KYD 14.68

-89.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡877

$4.95 KYD 4.06

-60.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,397

$59.2 KYD 48.52

-87.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡645

$1.74 KYD 1.43

-17.24%

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

$36.5K ₡16.3M

$36.3K KYD 29.7K

0.56%

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$35.8K KYD 29.4K

-1.09%

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

$87.3 ₡38.9K

$422 KYD 346

-79.32%

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

$25.16 ₡11.2K

$99.3 KYD 81.4

-74.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡23.7K

$117 KYD 96.1

-54.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.6K

$155 KYD 127

-62.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.74 ₡12.8K

$53.8 KYD 44.08

-46.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 ₡4,035

$18.29 KYD 15.00

-50.57%

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

$553 ₡246.7K

$1,646 KYD 1,350

-66.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

$25.6K KYD 21.0K

-60.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

$90.8 KYD 74.5

-21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.7K

$71.2 KYD 58.4

-25.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.0K

$141 KYD 116

-15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.6K

$141 KYD 116

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₡360.7K

$2,915 KYD 2,391

-72.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₡242.5K

$2,285 KYD 1,874

-76.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 ₡654.2K

$5,741 KYD 4,708

-74.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡454.0K

$4,648 KYD 3,812

-78.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

$13.1K KYD 10.7K

-81.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡730.9K

$7,536 KYD 6,179

-78.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡476.1K

$7,854 KYD 6,440

-86.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

7.54

39.66%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cayman Islands: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $7,699 in Cayman Islands. 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

Costa Rica vs Cayman Islands: 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.