😐A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $550 in Honduras, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Costa Rica vs $879 in Honduras, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,207 in Honduras, rent included.
😐Costa Rica costs about 179% more than Honduras on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Costa Rica sits 14% above the global median, while Honduras is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.92₡4,549
$7.48HNL 199
32.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2₡27.6K
$32.70HNL 872
84.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.80₡4,494
$8.20HNL 219
19.51%
Cappuccino
$4.11₡1,886
$2.33HNL 62.2
76.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10₡964
$1.13HNL 30.03
85.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70₡781
$0.98HNL 26.12
73.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.01₡1,379
$1.95HNL 52.1
54.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39₡2,015
$3.20HNL 85.3
37.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.01₡922
$1.50HNL 39.88
34.00%
White Bread(500g)
$3.10₡1,421
$2.01HNL 53.6
54.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.45₡1,121
$1.43HNL 38.12
71.33%
Eggs
$3.37₡1,546
$2.01HNL 53.7
67.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.13₡4,187
$6.96HNL 185
31.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.46₡4,337
$5.25HNL 140
80.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.21₡6,057
$10.81HNL 288
22.20%
Apples(1kg)
$4.54₡2,082
$3.37HNL 89.8
34.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61₡740
$1.47HNL 39.21
9.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.19₡1,461
$2.96HNL 78.8
7.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.07₡1,407
$1.67HNL 44.48
83.83%
Potato(1kg)
$2.98₡1,365
$1.70HNL 45.21
75.29%
Onion(1kg)
$2.72₡1,246
$2.22HNL 59.2
22.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01₡465
$0.86HNL 23.01
17.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.44₡1,118
$1.29HNL 34.49
89.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.04₡2,311
$2.76HNL 73.5
82.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.95₡7,310
$9.62HNL 257
65.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35₡1,079
$1.19HNL 31.72
97.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72₡1,246
$1.71HNL 45.68
59.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.97₡444
$0.60HNL 15.99
61.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$49.77₡22.8K
$36.22HNL 965
37.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.89₡868
$3.52HNL 93.7
-46.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.94₡891
$1.37HNL 36.64
41.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.78₡3,564
$7.13HNL 190
9.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.51₡693
$1.03HNL 27.53
46.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3K₡17.1M
$19.5KHNL 520.3K
91.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K₡16.4M
$19.5KHNL 519.8K
83.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$86.7₡39.8K
$122HNL 3,246
-28.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.28₡11.6K
$11.09HNL 296
127.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.7₡25.1K
$46.35HNL 1,235
17.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.8₡26.5K
$38.76HNL 1,033
49.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.25₡13.4K
$17.32HNL 462
68.88%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10₡4,172
$5.70HNL 152
59.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$542₡248.5K
$216HNL 5,747
151.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.0K₡4.6M
$3,377HNL 90.0K
196.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.6₡33.7K
$41.72HNL 1,112
76.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3₡24.9K
$34.39HNL 917
57.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$119₡54.7K
$77.0HNL 2,053
54.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104₡47.6K
$80.0HNL 2,131
29.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$799₡366.2K
$424HNL 11.3K
88.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$545₡249.9K
$350HNL 9,319
55.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,482₡679.3K
$822HNL 21.9K
80.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,037₡475.2K
$637HNL 17.0K
62.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,403₡1.1M
$2,114HNL 56.3K
13.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,603₡734.7K
$1,105HNL 29.4K
45.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,079₡494.8K
$530HNL 14.1K
103.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.53
11.44
-7.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Costa Rica: June 8, 2026
Last update for Honduras: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $777 in Costa Rica vs $108 in Honduras. For reference, capital cities sit at $880 in San Jose and $277 in Tegucigalpa.
💰Average salary: $1,089 in Costa Rica vs $538 in Honduras. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 619% higher in Costa Rica.
⭐Dining out costs 93% more in Costa Rica.
⭐Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.
⭐Salaries are 102% higher in Costa Rica, giving Honduras 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 Honduras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Honduras?
Honduras is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 163% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or 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 163% 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