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 $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $551 in Honduras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,326 per month in Costa Rica vs $876 in Honduras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,116 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,200 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 15% above the global median, while Honduras is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Honduras has a wider regional cost range ($0$1,229) than Costa Rica ($1,137$2,043), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Honduras.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.72 ₡4,431
$7.48 HNL 199
29.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.2 ₡27.0K
$33.16 HNL 882
78.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₡4,468
$8.16 HNL 217
20.10%
Cappuccino
$3.93 ₡1,792
$2.40 HNL 63.7
63.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 ₡988
$1.09 HNL 28.85
99.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 ₡780
$1.00 HNL 26.57
71.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 ₡1,389
$1.90 HNL 50.5
60.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 ₡2,047
$3.23 HNL 85.8
39.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ₡920
$1.49 HNL 39.57
35.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 ₡1,431
$1.91 HNL 50.8
64.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.41 ₡1,101
$1.46 HNL 38.76
65.07%
Eggs
$3.39 ₡1,546
$2.01 HNL 53.4
68.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.41 ₡4,290
$7.31 HNL 194
28.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.35 ₡4,261
$5.31 HNL 141
76.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.59 ₡6,195
$10.63 HNL 283
27.85%
Apples (1kg)
$4.47 ₡2,039
$3.36 HNL 89.4
33.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 ₡729
$1.39 HNL 36.93
15.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.33 ₡1,520
$2.90 HNL 77.2
14.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.05 ₡1,392
$1.67 HNL 44.49
82.63%
Potato (1kg)
$3.04 ₡1,388
$1.70 HNL 45.19
78.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.71 ₡1,235
$2.21 HNL 58.9
22.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ₡449
$0.84 HNL 22.27
16.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 ₡1,157
$1.29 HNL 34.35
96.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.06 ₡2,308
$2.64 HNL 70.2
91.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.34 ₡7,451
$9.85 HNL 262
65.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₡1,052
$1.19 HNL 31.72
94.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 ₡1,292
$1.70 HNL 45.09
66.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.95 ₡434
$0.62 HNL 16.51
53.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.79 ₡22.2K
$37.11 HNL 987
31.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.79 ₡818
$3.41 HNL 90.7
-47.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 ₡888
$1.43 HNL 38.10
36.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.73 ₡3,526
$7.13 HNL 190
8.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡692
$1.06 HNL 28.30
43.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K ₡17.0M
$19.5K HNL 517.3K
92.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K ₡16.2M
$19.7K HNL 522.7K
81.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.2 ₡40.6K
$119 HNL 3,166
-25.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.68 ₡11.7K
$10.83 HNL 288
137.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.3 ₡24.8K
$47.05 HNL 1,251
15.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.0 ₡25.5K
$38.58 HNL 1,026
45.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.40 ₡13.4K
$17.28 HNL 459
70.14%
Cinema Ticket
$9.20 ₡4,196
$5.85 HNL 155
57.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$559 ₡254.9K
$217 HNL 5,771
157.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,839 ₡4.5M
$3,365 HNL 89.5K
192.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.0 ₡32.8K
$42.00 HNL 1,117
71.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.0 ₡24.6K
$34.91 HNL 928
54.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 ₡55.2K
$77.2 HNL 2,052
56.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 ₡47.3K
$80.5 HNL 2,140
28.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡362.1K
$427 HNL 11.4K
85.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$547 ₡249.3K
$351 HNL 9,341
55.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,466 ₡668.6K
$830 HNL 22.1K
76.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 ₡477.1K
$661 HNL 17.6K
58.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,328 ₡1.1M
$1,293 HNL 34.4K
80.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,604 ₡731.6K
$941 HNL 25.0K
70.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,115 ₡508.3K
$553 HNL 14.7K
101.50%
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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Honduras: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $778 in Costa Rica vs $108 in Honduras. For reference, capital cities sit at $871 in San Jose and $280 in Tegucigalpa.

Average salary: $1,113 in Costa Rica vs $556 in Honduras. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 620% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 82% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 100% 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 159% 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 159% 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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