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 $1,533 per month in Costa Rica vs $397 in Dominica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Costa Rica vs $654 in Dominica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,106 per month in Costa Rica vs $910 in Dominica, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 286% more than Dominica on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 14% above the global median, while Dominica is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Dominica has a wider regional cost range ($0–$1,240) than Costa Rica ($1,126–$2,034), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Dominica.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.74 ₡4,452

$7.30 EC$19.72

33.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$54.5 EC$147

10.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 ₡4,530

$6.71 EC$18.12

47.84%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ₡1,848

$3.66 EC$9.89

10.38%

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

$2.12 ₡969

$2.47 EC$6.68

-14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡749

$2.11 EC$5.71

-22.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,332

$1.87 EC$5.06

56.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ₡2,036

$3.36 EC$9.07

32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₡953

$3.08 EC$8.32

-32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₡1,453

$1.96 EC$5.29

62.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,099

$1.47 EC$3.97

63.95%

Eggs

$3.43 ₡1,567

$5.71 EC$15.41

-39.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 ₡4,349

$2.47 EC$6.66

285.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 ₡4,213

$10.33 EC$27.88

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ₡6,041

$12.06 EC$32.57

9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,149

$6.76 EC$18.26

-30.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡712

$2.41 EC$6.50

-35.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,528

$4.43 EC$11.95

-24.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 ₡1,371

$4.87 EC$13.15

-38.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₡1,337

$3.23 EC$8.71

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 ₡1,240

$3.05 EC$8.22

-11.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡464

$2.02 EC$5.44

-49.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$2.51 EC$6.78

-3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 ₡2,288

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 ₡7,448

$11.19 EC$30.22

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₡1,053

$2.56 EC$6.91

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,300

$2.93 EC$7.92

-2.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡431

$0.72 EC$1.94

30.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.31 ₡22.5K

$32.74 EC$88.4

50.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡825

$3.76 EC$10.15

-51.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 ₡913

$3.76 EC$10.14

-46.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 ₡3,396

$10.06 EC$27.16

-26.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡662

$1.29 EC$3.48

12.40%

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

$36.3K ₡16.6M

$33.2K EC$89.8K

9.17%

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

$34.8K ₡15.9M

$29.6K EC$79.9K

17.61%

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

$88.1 ₡40.2K

$139 EC$375

-36.67%

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

$25.36 ₡11.6K

$42.62 EC$115

-40.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 ₡24.7K

$60.9 EC$164

-11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.4K

$43.35 EC$117

33.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 ₡13.3K

$23.32 EC$63.0

24.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ₡4,134

$11.30 EC$30.52

-19.91%

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

$550 ₡251.1K

$111 EC$301

393.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ₡4.7M

$3,340 EC$9,018

205.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡32.7K

$71.1 EC$192

0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 ₡24.6K

$38.41 EC$104

40.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₡55.1K

$98.2 EC$265

22.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡46.2K

$84.8 EC$229

19.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ₡371.2K

$282 EC$763

187.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₡252.8K

$340 EC$918

62.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ₡681.8K

$1,023 EC$2,761

45.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₡483.1K

$761 EC$2,056

38.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,263 ₡1.0M

$104 EC$282

2068.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₡746.5K

$37.79 EC$102

4224.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡487.3K

$572 EC$1,545

86.38%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Dominica: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $778 in Costa Rica vs $129 in Dominica. For reference, capital cities sit at $885 in San Jose and $281 in Roseau.

Average salary: $1,096 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 503% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 168% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 97% 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 155% 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 155% 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.