Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Honduras Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Honduras

Monthly Cost of Living

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
$7.42 HNL 199
46.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.8 ₡25.0K
$31.18 HNL 837
78.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 ₡4,839
$8.10 HNL 218
33.46%
Cappuccino
$4.52 ₡2,021
$2.39 HNL 64.2
89.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 ₡1,095
$1.02 HNL 27.39
140.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 ₡844
$0.90 HNL 24.17
110.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.30 ₡1,476
$1.81 HNL 48.48
82.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ₡2,064
$3.44 HNL 92.5
34.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.42 ₡1,085
$1.44 HNL 38.72
68.06%
White Bread (500g)
$3.60 ₡1,613
$1.98 HNL 53.2
81.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.70 ₡1,207
$1.52 HNL 40.79
77.63%
Eggs
$4.01 ₡1,796
$1.74 HNL 46.74
130.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.21 ₡4,568
$7.17 HNL 192
42.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.38 ₡4,647
$5.78 HNL 155
79.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.83 ₡6,190
$8.56 HNL 230
61.57%
Apples (1kg)
$5.08 ₡2,272
$3.56 HNL 95.6
42.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 ₡782
$1.31 HNL 35.30
33.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 ₡1,575
$2.31 HNL 62.0
52.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.23 ₡1,446
$1.63 HNL 43.90
98.16%
Potato (1kg)
$3.34 ₡1,496
$1.94 HNL 52.0
72.16%
Onion (1kg)
$3.18 ₡1,422
$2.06 HNL 55.2
54.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ₡483
$0.97 HNL 26.09
11.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 ₡1,200
$1.25 HNL 33.58
114.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.57 ₡2,495
$3.03 HNL 81.4
83.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.23 ₡6,817
$10.13 HNL 272
50.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 ₡1,196
$1.22 HNL 32.84
118.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 ₡1,490
$1.54 HNL 41.40
116.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 ₡486
$0.69 HNL 18.47
57.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.4 ₡29.3K
$55.9 HNL 1,500
17.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.20 ₡983
$1.95 HNL 52.4
12.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.94 ₡870
$1.42 HNL 38.01
36.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.87 ₡3,969
$7.51 HNL 202
18.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.60 ₡718
$1.00 HNL 26.88
60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K ₡14.6M
$22.3K HNL 599.8K
46.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K ₡16.3M
$26.5K HNL 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
$127 HNL 3,397
-24.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.50 ₡14.1K
$20.54 HNL 551
53.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.7 ₡26.7K
$39.03 HNL 1,048
52.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.3 ₡29.7K
$35.87 HNL 963
84.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.60 ₡10.6K
$15.83 HNL 425
49.08%
Cinema Ticket
$8.21 ₡3,676
$5.61 HNL 151
46.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$726 ₡324.9K
$206 HNL 5,534
252.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K ₡5.7M
$3,454 HNL 92.8K
269.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.6 ₡33.4K
$56.1 HNL 1,506
32.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$37.38 HNL 1,004
43.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 ₡56.0K
$87.7 HNL 2,355
42.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 ₡47.7K
$77.0 HNL 2,068
38.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$884 ₡395.5K
$495 HNL 13.3K
78.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$641 ₡286.7K
$406 HNL 10.9K
57.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,743 ₡779.9K
$949 HNL 25.5K
83.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,168 ₡522.7K
$724 HNL 19.4K
61.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,400 ₡1.1M
$2,125 HNL 57.1K
12.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,671 ₡748.0K
$1,088 HNL 29.2K
53.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,083 ₡484.5K
$531 HNL 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.

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