😐A single person spends $1,660 per month in Costa Rica vs $314 in Honduras, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Costa Rica vs $496 in Honduras, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Costa Rica vs $677 in Honduras, rent included.
🌍The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 429% higher than in Honduras on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Costa Rica sits 20% above the global median, while Honduras is 77% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.89₡4,874
$7.42HNL 199
46.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.8₡25.0K
$31.18HNL 837
78.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.81₡4,839
$8.10HNL 218
33.46%
Cappuccino
$4.52₡2,021
$2.39HNL 64.2
89.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45₡1,095
$1.02HNL 27.39
140.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89₡844
$0.90HNL 24.17
110.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.30₡1,476
$1.81HNL 48.48
82.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61₡2,064
$3.44HNL 92.5
34.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.42₡1,085
$1.44HNL 38.72
68.06%
White Bread(500g)
$3.60₡1,613
$1.98HNL 53.2
81.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.70₡1,207
$1.52HNL 40.79
77.63%
Eggs
$4.01₡1,796
$1.74HNL 46.74
130.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.21₡4,568
$7.17HNL 192
42.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.38₡4,647
$5.78HNL 155
79.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.83₡6,190
$8.56HNL 230
61.57%
Apples(1kg)
$5.08₡2,272
$3.56HNL 95.6
42.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75₡782
$1.31HNL 35.30
33.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.52₡1,575
$2.31HNL 62.0
52.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.23₡1,446
$1.63HNL 43.90
98.16%
Potato(1kg)
$3.34₡1,496
$1.94HNL 52.0
72.16%
Onion(1kg)
$3.18₡1,422
$2.06HNL 55.2
54.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08₡483
$0.97HNL 26.09
11.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.68₡1,200
$1.25HNL 33.58
114.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.57₡2,495
$3.03HNL 81.4
83.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.23₡6,817
$10.13HNL 272
50.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67₡1,196
$1.22HNL 32.84
118.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33₡1,490
$1.54HNL 41.40
116.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.09₡486
$0.69HNL 18.47
57.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$65.4₡29.3K
$55.9HNL 1,500
17.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.20₡983
$1.95HNL 52.4
12.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.94₡870
$1.42HNL 38.01
36.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.87₡3,969
$7.51HNL 202
18.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.60₡718
$1.00HNL 26.88
60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K₡14.6M
$22.3KHNL 599.8K
46.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K₡16.3M
$26.5KHNL 711.7K
37.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$95.2₡42.6K
$127HNL 3,397
-24.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.50₡14.1K
$20.54HNL 551
53.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7₡26.7K
$39.03HNL 1,048
52.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$66.3₡29.7K
$35.87HNL 963
84.92%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.60₡10.6K
$15.83HNL 425
49.08%
Cinema Ticket
$8.21₡3,676
$5.61HNL 151
46.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726₡324.9K
$206HNL 5,534
252.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.8K₡5.7M
$3,454HNL 92.8K
269.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.6₡33.4K
$56.1HNL 1,506
32.91%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.6₡24.0K
$37.38HNL 1,004
43.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$125₡56.0K
$87.7HNL 2,355
42.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107₡47.7K
$77.0HNL 2,068
38.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$884₡395.5K
$495HNL 13.3K
78.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$641₡286.7K
$406HNL 10.9K
57.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,743₡779.9K
$949HNL 25.5K
83.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,168₡522.7K
$724HNL 19.4K
61.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,400₡1.1M
$2,125HNL 57.1K
12.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,671₡748.0K
$1,088HNL 29.2K
53.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,083₡484.5K
$531HNL 14.2K
103.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.56
13.19
-27.52%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026
Last update for Honduras: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $816 in Costa Rica vs $127 in Honduras. For reference, capital cities sit at $960 in San Jose and $455 in Tegucigalpa.
💰Average salary: $1,106 in Costa Rica vs $557 in Honduras. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 543% higher in Costa Rica.
⭐Dining out costs 430% more in Costa Rica.
⭐Public transport is 180% more expensive in Costa Rica.
⭐Salaries are 99% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Honduras.
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 Honduras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Honduras?
Honduras is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 154% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or in Honduras?
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 Honduras?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Honduras, contributing to the overall 154% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Costa Rica and Honduras on $2,000 per month?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Honduras, 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 Honduras?
Honduras 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