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 $1,543 per month in Costa Rica vs $390 in Dominica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,324 per month in Costa Rica vs $651 in Dominica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Costa Rica vs $912 in Dominica, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 296% more than Dominica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while Dominica is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ₡4,571

$7.27 EC$19.64

37.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ₡27.2K

$55.2 EC$149

7.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₡4,467

$6.63 EC$17.91

46.91%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₡1,805

$3.71 EC$10.02

6.20%

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

$2.11 ₡967

$2.37 EC$6.40

-10.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡758

$2.18 EC$5.90

-24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,338

$1.84 EC$4.96

58.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡2,012

$3.35 EC$9.05

31.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₡948

$3.09 EC$8.35

-33.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,453

$2.00 EC$5.40

58.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,107

$1.46 EC$3.94

65.07%

Eggs

$3.34 ₡1,530

$5.85 EC$15.79

-42.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,235

$2.38 EC$6.42

288.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 ₡4,310

$10.30 EC$27.80

-8.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ₡6,217

$12.04 EC$32.52

12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₡2,053

$6.63 EC$17.91

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡714

$2.32 EC$6.27

-32.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,539

$4.55 EC$12.27

-26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,412

$5.00 EC$13.50

-38.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₡1,326

$3.33 EC$8.99

-13.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₡1,312

$2.96 EC$7.99

-3.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡470

$2.06 EC$5.55

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,154

$2.55 EC$6.89

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,244

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 ₡7,417

$11.21 EC$30.27

44.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,094

$2.56 EC$6.90

-6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,274

$2.91 EC$7.87

-4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡432

$0.71 EC$1.93

32.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.22 ₡22.6K

$31.96 EC$86.3

54.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡855

$3.63 EC$9.81

-48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡923

$3.65 EC$9.86

-44.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,489

$10.42 EC$28.14

-26.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡691

$1.36 EC$3.66

11.03%

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

$36.3K ₡16.7M

$33.2K EC$89.6K

9.45%

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

$35.7K ₡16.4M

$29.5K EC$79.5K

21.11%

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

$88.7 ₡40.7K

$141 EC$382

-37.27%

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

$25.67 ₡11.8K

$41.92 EC$113

-38.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 ₡24.7K

$62.1 EC$168

-13.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.5K

$43.72 EC$118

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 ₡13.3K

$23.67 EC$63.9

22.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 ₡4,127

$10.90 EC$29.44

-17.43%

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

$544 ₡249.3K

$111 EC$299

390.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

$3,291 EC$8,885

204.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ₡34.0K

$71.9 EC$194

3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡24.4K

$39.08 EC$106

36.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡54.9K

$98.6 EC$266

21.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡46.2K

$82.8 EC$224

21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ₡366.0K

$276 EC$744

189.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₡244.9K

$337 EC$909

58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ₡691.9K

$1,009 EC$2,723

49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡477.2K

$753 EC$2,032

38.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 ₡1.1M

$104 EC$281

2187.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡734.6K

$38.15 EC$103

4100.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ₡486.7K

$566 EC$1,529

87.54%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dominica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $776 in Costa Rica vs $127 in Dominica. For reference, capital cities sit at $879 in San Jose and $281 in Roseau.

Average salary: $1,098 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 511% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 183% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 99% higher in Costa Rica, giving Dominica 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 Dominica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dominica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 168% 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 168% 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.