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 $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
$7.48 HNL 199
32.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.6K
$32.70 HNL 872
84.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₡4,494
$8.20 HNL 219
19.51%
Cappuccino
$4.11 ₡1,886
$2.33 HNL 62.2
76.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ₡964
$1.13 HNL 30.03
85.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₡781
$0.98 HNL 26.12
73.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.01 ₡1,379
$1.95 HNL 52.1
54.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 ₡2,015
$3.20 HNL 85.3
37.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₡922
$1.50 HNL 39.88
34.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.10 ₡1,421
$2.01 HNL 53.6
54.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.45 ₡1,121
$1.43 HNL 38.12
71.33%
Eggs
$3.37 ₡1,546
$2.01 HNL 53.7
67.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.13 ₡4,187
$6.96 HNL 185
31.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.46 ₡4,337
$5.25 HNL 140
80.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.21 ₡6,057
$10.81 HNL 288
22.20%
Apples (1kg)
$4.54 ₡2,082
$3.37 HNL 89.8
34.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡740
$1.47 HNL 39.21
9.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.19 ₡1,461
$2.96 HNL 78.8
7.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 ₡1,407
$1.67 HNL 44.48
83.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 ₡1,365
$1.70 HNL 45.21
75.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.72 ₡1,246
$2.22 HNL 59.2
22.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 ₡465
$0.86 HNL 23.01
17.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₡1,118
$1.29 HNL 34.49
89.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.04 ₡2,311
$2.76 HNL 73.5
82.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.95 ₡7,310
$9.62 HNL 257
65.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 ₡1,079
$1.19 HNL 31.72
97.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 ₡1,246
$1.71 HNL 45.68
59.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.97 ₡444
$0.60 HNL 15.99
61.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.77 ₡22.8K
$36.22 HNL 965
37.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.89 ₡868
$3.52 HNL 93.7
-46.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.94 ₡891
$1.37 HNL 36.64
41.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.78 ₡3,564
$7.13 HNL 190
9.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ₡693
$1.03 HNL 27.53
46.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3K ₡17.1M
$19.5K HNL 520.3K
91.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K ₡16.4M
$19.5K HNL 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
$122 HNL 3,246
-28.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.28 ₡11.6K
$11.09 HNL 296
127.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.7 ₡25.1K
$46.35 HNL 1,235
17.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.8 ₡26.5K
$38.76 HNL 1,033
49.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.25 ₡13.4K
$17.32 HNL 462
68.88%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10 ₡4,172
$5.70 HNL 152
59.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$542 ₡248.5K
$216 HNL 5,747
151.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K ₡4.6M
$3,377 HNL 90.0K
196.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.6 ₡33.7K
$41.72 HNL 1,112
76.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 ₡24.9K
$34.39 HNL 917
57.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 ₡54.7K
$77.0 HNL 2,053
54.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 ₡47.6K
$80.0 HNL 2,131
29.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$799 ₡366.2K
$424 HNL 11.3K
88.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$545 ₡249.9K
$350 HNL 9,319
55.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,482 ₡679.3K
$822 HNL 21.9K
80.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 ₡475.2K
$637 HNL 17.0K
62.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,403 ₡1.1M
$2,114 HNL 56.3K
13.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,603 ₡734.7K
$1,105 HNL 29.4K
45.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,079 ₡494.8K
$530 HNL 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

Similar countries