😐A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $509 in Grenada, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Costa Rica vs $772 in Grenada, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,104 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,035 in Grenada, rent included.
😐Costa Rica costs about 202% more than Grenada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while Grenada is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.69₡4,405
$8.44EC$22.78
14.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.8₡27.2K
$79.5EC$215
-24.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.65₡4,390
$11.14EC$30.07
-13.38%
Cappuccino
$3.99₡1,814
$3.72EC$10.03
7.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18₡991
$1.70EC$4.60
28.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64₡744
$1.31EC$3.53
25.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.05₡1,385
$1.88EC$5.09
62.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42₡2,008
$2.94EC$7.95
50.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05₡932
$3.94EC$10.64
-47.97%
White Bread(500g)
$3.21₡1,462
$1.76EC$4.75
82.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.49₡1,131
$2.04EC$5.51
22.06%
Eggs
$3.29₡1,495
$4.24EC$11.45
-22.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.11₡4,141
$10.89EC$29.41
-16.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.70₡4,409
$7.40EC$19.99
31.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.19₡5,999
$15.63EC$42.21
-15.61%
Apples(1kg)
$4.53₡2,059
$9.82EC$26.52
-53.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57₡713
$1.78EC$4.81
-11.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.20₡1,457
$2.32EC$6.27
37.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.94₡1,337
$5.51EC$14.88
-46.64%
Potato(1kg)
$2.99₡1,359
$3.34EC$9.01
-10.48%
Onion(1kg)
$2.71₡1,233
$2.04EC$5.51
32.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03₡468
$1.73EC$4.68
-40.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.50₡1,136
$1.73EC$4.66
44.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.05₡2,296
$5.52EC$14.90
-8.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.18₡7,359
$10.23EC$27.61
58.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.39₡1,089
$1.81EC$4.88
32.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77₡1,258
$2.38EC$6.42
16.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.95₡430
$1.04EC$2.82
-8.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$48.97₡22.3K
$37.38EC$101
31.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.86₡846
$14.88EC$40.17
-87.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.01₡914
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75₡3,526
$8.99EC$24.27
-13.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.50₡683
$1.39EC$3.75
7.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K₡16.7M
$25.8KEC$69.6K
42.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K₡16.1M
$30.8KEC$83.3K
14.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$87.5₡39.8K
$224EC$605
-60.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.82₡11.7K
$35.91EC$97.0
-28.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.5₡24.8K
$45.35EC$122
20.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.4₡25.7K
$38.98EC$105
44.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.13₡13.2K
$24.70EC$66.7
17.94%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14₡4,156
$10.20EC$27.55
-10.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$555₡252.3K
$212EC$572
161.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,828₡4.5M
$2,754EC$7,436
256.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.9₡33.6K
$57.6EC$155
28.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.2₡24.6K
$97.8EC$264
-44.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$119₡53.9K
$82.5EC$223
43.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102₡46.4K
$131EC$355
-22.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$822₡373.9K
$604EC$1,630
36.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$549₡249.6K
$397EC$1,071
38.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,469₡667.9K
$1,257EC$3,395
16.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,023₡465.3K
$793EC$2,140
29.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,327₡1.1M
$944EC$2,547
146.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,612₡733.2K
$56.3KEC$152.1K
-97.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Grenada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,076₡489.4K
$875EC$2,363
22.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.53
6.75
56.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa Rica: April 25, 2026
Last update for Grenada: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $776 in Costa Rica vs $200 in Grenada. For reference, capital cities sit at $872 in San Jose and $583 in Saint George's.
💰Average salary: $1,110 in Costa Rica vs $896 in Grenada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 288% higher in Costa Rica.
⭐Dining out costs 104% more in Costa Rica.
⭐Public transport is 117% more expensive in Costa Rica.
⭐Salaries are 24% higher in Costa Rica, giving Grenada 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 Grenada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Grenada?
Grenada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 144% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or Grenada?
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.
How do daily expenses compare in Costa Rica vs Grenada?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Grenada, contributing to the overall 144% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Costa Rica and Grenada on $1,500 per month?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Grenada, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Costa Rica or Grenada?
Grenada 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.
Costa Rica vs other spots: cost of living compared