For one person, living is cheaper in Costa Rica: $1,821 a month against $3,101 in Greenland, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Costa Rica and in Greenland
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Costa Rica and in Greenland actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,821 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,101 in Greenland, rent included.
Costa Rica $1,821
Greenland $3,101
A couple spends around $2,773 per month in Costa Rica vs $4,562 in Greenland, rent included.
Costa Rica $2,773
Greenland $4,562
A family of three spends $3,725 per month in Costa Rica vs $6,023 in Greenland, rent included.
Costa Rica $3,725
Greenland $6,023
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Greenland ($20–$3,285) than in Costa Rica ($1,004–$2,114), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 41% lower than in Greenland on average.
📊
Both Costa Rica and Greenland are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 34%, Greenland by 128%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.26₡5,082
$17.69DKK 119
-36.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.5₡24.6K
$107DKK 717
-48.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.02₡4,973
$14.84DKK 99.7
-25.74%
Cappuccino
$4.43₡1,998
$5.74DKK 38.55
-22.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34₡1,055
$2.72DKK 18.30
-13.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84₡828
$2.82DKK 18.91
-34.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.26₡1,472
$10.33DKK 69.4
-68.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55₡2,053
$7.83DKK 52.6
-41.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.45₡1,104
$2.69DKK 18.04
-8.92%
White Bread(500g)
$3.56₡1,608
$4.19DKK 28.15
-15.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.76₡1,245
$4.49DKK 30.19
-38.53%
Eggs
$3.97₡1,793
$5.62DKK 37.72
-29.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.47₡4,726
$37.05DKK 249
-71.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.98₡4,505
$26.96DKK 181
-62.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.91₡6,275
$24.52DKK 165
-43.27%
Apples(1kg)
$5.06₡2,282
$5.33DKK 35.78
-5.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69₡763
$4.48DKK 30.12
-62.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.45₡1,557
$5.30DKK 35.57
-34.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.23₡1,459
$4.39DKK 29.51
-26.42%
Potato(1kg)
$3.44₡1,554
$3.85DKK 25.89
-10.65%
Onion(1kg)
$3.25₡1,465
$4.27DKK 28.69
-23.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09₡492
$6.23DKK 41.86
-82.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.67₡1,203
$3.02DKK 20.31
-11.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.38₡2,426
$13.38DKK 89.9
-59.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.50₡6,993
$22.11DKK 149
-29.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.75₡1,241
$5.56DKK 37.36
-50.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30₡1,488
$4.01DKK 26.94
-17.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.13₡509
$3.70DKK 24.86
-69.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$65.5₡29.6K
$87.6DKK 589
-25.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.17₡979
$3.21DKK 21.59
-32.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02₡912
$5.87DKK 39.40
-65.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.94₡4,034
$7.37DKK 49.53
21.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.61₡726
$0.97DKK 6.53
65.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K₡15.6M
$38.5KDKK 258.8K
-10.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K₡16.9M
$12.7KDKK 85.0K
195.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$94.9₡42.8K
$304DKK 2,041
-68.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.42₡14.2K
$78.3DKK 526
-59.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6₡26.4K
$144DKK 967
-59.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$65.7₡29.6K
$53.2DKK 357
23.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.20₡10.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.10₡3,654
$21.27DKK 143
-61.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$722₡325.8K
$591DKK 3,969
22.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.9K₡5.8M
$10.4KDKK 69.7K
24.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.5₡34.1K
$145DKK 972
-47.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.4₡25.5K
$49.13DKK 330
14.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$128₡57.9K
$152DKK 1,019
-15.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108₡48.8K
$220DKK 1,480
-50.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$960₡433.2K
$1,009DKK 6,777
-4.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$708₡319.5K
$1,058DKK 7,106
-33.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,749₡789.0K
$1,532DKK 10.3K
14.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215₡548.3K
$1,606DKK 10.8K
-24.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,656₡1.2M
$4,197DKK 28.2K
-36.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,839₡829.7K
$4,494DKK 30.2K
-59.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Greenland
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,058₡477.6K
$3,918DKK 26.3K
-72.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.56
5.66
68.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa Rica: October 26, 2026
Last update for Greenland: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
$708 38.9%
Greenland
$1.1K 34.1% ↑ 49.4%$350
🛒Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
$380 20.9%
Greenland
$687 22.2% ↑ 80.7%$307
🍽Eating Out
Costa Rica
$218 12%
Greenland
$344 11.1% ↑ 57.7%$126
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
$185 10.2%
Greenland
$526 17% ↑ 185%$341
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
$166 9.1%
Greenland
$255 8.2% ↑ 53.7%$89
🚌Getting Around
Costa Rica
$82 4.5%
Greenland
$135 4.4% ↑ 64%$53
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
$82 4.5%
Greenland
$96 3.1% ↑ 16.9%$14
🏠Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
$1.2K 32.6%
Greenland
$1.6K 26.7% ↑ 32.1%$391
🛒Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
$866 23.3%
Greenland
$1.6K 26% ↑ 80.8%$700
🍽Eating Out
Costa Rica
$706 19%
Greenland
$1.2K 20.1% ↑ 71.6%$505
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
$216 5.8%
Greenland
$604 10% ↑ 179%$388
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
$368 9.9%
Greenland
$566 9.4% ↑ 53.7%$198
🚌Getting Around
Costa Rica
$167 4.5%
Greenland
$277 4.6% ↑ 66.2%$110
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
$186 5%
Greenland
$191 * 3.2% ↑ 3%$5.5
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $855 in Costa Rica vs $884 in Greenland. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,164 in San Jose and $1,566 in Nuuk.
💰Average salary: $1,087 in Costa Rica vs $3,671 in Greenland. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Dining out costs 85% more in Greenland.
⭐Public transport is 30% more expensive in Greenland.
⭐Salaries are about 3.4 times higher in Greenland, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Greenland.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Greenland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Greenland?
Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 41% lower on average.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or in Greenland?
Housing costs more in Greenland: a central one-bedroom averages $884 versus $855 in Costa Rica.
How do daily expenses compare in Costa Rica vs Greenland?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Costa Rica, adding to the overall 70% price gap.
Which country is better for expats: Costa Rica or Greenland?
Costa Rica is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.
Costa Rica vs other spots: cost of living compared