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

Name: Dominica
Address: DM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Costa Rica vs $364 in Dominica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,639 per month in Costa Rica vs $625 in Dominica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,604 per month in Costa Rica vs $886 in Dominica, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 360% higher than in Dominica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 22% above the global median, while Dominica is 74% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 ₡4,931

$7.38 EC$19.92

49.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$55.3 EC$149

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 ₡4,930

$7.29 EC$19.68

51.17%

Cappuccino

$4.45 ₡1,991

$3.66 EC$9.88

21.58%

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

$2.47 ₡1,103

$2.43 EC$6.56

1.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₡878

$2.17 EC$5.86

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,486

$1.83 EC$4.95

81.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,976

$3.25 EC$8.77

35.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 ₡1,107

$3.15 EC$8.51

-21.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 ₡1,604

$2.16 EC$5.83

65.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 ₡1,199

$1.52 EC$4.11

76.32%

Eggs

$4.09 ₡1,832

$5.58 EC$15.07

-26.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ₡4,431

$2.50 EC$6.74

296.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 ₡4,605

$10.59 EC$28.60

-2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 ₡6,348

$13.20 EC$35.65

7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 ₡2,235

$7.79 EC$21.02

-35.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₡802

$2.75 EC$7.42

-34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 ₡1,622

$4.53 EC$12.24

-19.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,542

$5.28 EC$14.25

-34.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 ₡1,514

$3.32 EC$8.98

1.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,384

$3.09 EC$8.35

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₡513

$1.98 EC$5.33

-41.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,279

$2.62 EC$7.07

9.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 ₡2,426

$7.37 EC$19.90

-26.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 ₡6,909

$10.93 EC$29.51

41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₡1,209

$2.38 EC$6.42

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₡1,526

$2.91 EC$7.85

17.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₡504

$1.29 EC$3.47

-12.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 ₡29.9K

$53.8 EC$145

24.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₡995

$3.77 EC$10.18

-41.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ₡889

$3.81 EC$10.29

-47.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 ₡4,009

$10.32 EC$27.86

-13.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡706

$1.40 EC$3.78

12.86%

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

$33.6K ₡15.0M

$35.2K EC$94.9K

-4.51%

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

$37.0K ₡16.6M

$29.2K EC$78.7K

26.92%

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

$97.1 ₡43.4K

$139 EC$376

-30.35%

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

$31.32 ₡14.0K

$46.38 EC$125

-32.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$68.2 EC$184

-12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 ₡29.3K

$45.57 EC$123

43.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.48 ₡10.5K

$22.34 EC$60.3

5.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 ₡3,843

$9.46 EC$25.55

-9.20%

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

$748 ₡334.7K

$128 EC$345

485.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$4,413 EC$11.9K

186.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 ₡33.8K

$55.8 EC$151

35.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 ₡24.2K

$30.09 EC$81.2

79.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.9K

$68.0 EC$184

90.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₡50.7K

$80.6 EC$218

40.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 ₡391.7K

$284 EC$768

207.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₡296.0K

$226 EC$611

192.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 ₡793.0K

$806 EC$2,176

119.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 ₡539.0K

$646 EC$1,743

86.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 ₡1.1M

$103 EC$278

2246.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₡731.1K

$37.33 EC$101

4276.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,078 ₡482.2K

$579 EC$1,562

86.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

7.6

25.79%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dominica: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $820 in Costa Rica vs $89.0 in Dominica. For reference, capital cities sit at $931 in San Jose and $280 in Roseau.

Average salary: $1,106 in Costa Rica vs $555 in Dominica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 821% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 194% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 56% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 99% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Dominica.

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 Dominica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dominica 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 Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Dominica, contributing to the overall 156% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Dominica, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Dominica 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.