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 $1,535 per month in Costa Rica vs $402 in Dominica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Costa Rica vs $655 in Dominica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Costa Rica vs $908 in Dominica, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 282% higher than in Dominica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while Dominica is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,518

$7.49 EC$20.24

34.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡26.9K

$55.5 EC$150

8.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 ₡4,529

$6.55 EC$17.68

54.50%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,743

$3.67 EC$9.92

6.27%

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

$2.20 ₡985

$2.48 EC$6.69

-11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡745

$2.09 EC$5.64

-20.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,371

$1.89 EC$5.10

61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,975

$3.36 EC$9.06

31.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡939

$2.94 EC$7.94

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₡1,441

$1.96 EC$5.28

64.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,118

$1.51 EC$4.08

65.56%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,509

$5.87 EC$15.84

-42.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,279

$2.42 EC$6.55

295.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 ₡4,224

$10.28 EC$27.76

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡6,009

$12.00 EC$32.39

11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 ₡2,090

$6.58 EC$17.77

-29.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡701

$2.33 EC$6.28

-32.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,432

$4.40 EC$11.89

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,334

$4.99 EC$13.48

-40.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,332

$3.22 EC$8.70

-7.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,268

$3.03 EC$8.18

-6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡453

$2.08 EC$5.62

-51.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,121

$2.52 EC$6.80

-0.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,277

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₡7,219

$10.98 EC$29.66

46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,050

$2.52 EC$6.81

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,258

$2.93 EC$7.92

-4.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡453

$0.72 EC$1.93

40.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.4K

$32.32 EC$87.3

54.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡835

$3.72 EC$10.05

-49.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡880

$3.67 EC$9.91

-46.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,406

$10.28 EC$27.75

-25.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡646

$1.29 EC$3.47

11.63%

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

$36.5K ₡16.3M

$32.7K EC$88.3K

11.51%

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$29.6K EC$79.9K

19.64%

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

$87.3 ₡39.1K

$139 EC$376

-37.29%

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

$25.16 ₡11.3K

$42.48 EC$115

-40.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡23.7K

$62.8 EC$170

-15.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.7K

$43.39 EC$117

32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.74 ₡12.9K

$23.19 EC$62.6

23.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 ₡4,046

$10.97 EC$29.61

-17.59%

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

$553 ₡247.4K

$111 EC$300

397.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

$3,334 EC$9,003

199.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

$71.7 EC$194

-0.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.8K

$39.33 EC$106

35.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.1K

$98.0 EC$265

21.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.7K

$83.0 EC$224

23.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₡361.7K

$284 EC$766

185.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₡243.1K

$332 EC$897

63.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 ₡656.0K

$1,001 EC$2,703

46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡455.3K

$757 EC$2,044

34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

$102 EC$275

2250.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡732.9K

$37.35 EC$101

4286.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡477.4K

$565 EC$1,526

88.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

7.6

38.55%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dominica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $750 in Costa Rica vs $126 in Dominica. For reference, capital cities sit at $860 in San Jose and $280 in Roseau.

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $553 in Dominica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 495% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 168% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 98% 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 157% 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 157% 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.