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 $1,532 per month in Costa Rica vs $553 in Honduras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Costa Rica vs $880 in Honduras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,206 in Honduras, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 177% higher than in 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.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.80 ₡4,400
$7.85 HNL 210
24.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.3 ₡26.6K
$32.52 HNL 870
82.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 ₡4,388
$8.07 HNL 216
21.07%
Cappuccino
$3.98 ₡1,788
$2.39 HNL 64.0
66.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ₡985
$1.09 HNL 29.17
100.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 ₡766
$1.04 HNL 27.76
64.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 ₡1,314
$1.91 HNL 51.1
52.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 ₡2,034
$3.26 HNL 87.1
38.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 ₡900
$1.54 HNL 41.23
29.87%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,423
$1.94 HNL 51.8
63.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,086
$1.43 HNL 38.37
69.23%
Eggs
$3.30 ₡1,483
$2.01 HNL 53.8
64.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 ₡4,078
$7.05 HNL 189
28.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.29 ₡4,171
$5.29 HNL 141
75.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.33 ₡5,986
$10.82 HNL 289
23.20%
Apples (1kg)
$4.62 ₡2,077
$3.35 HNL 89.5
37.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.41 HNL 37.66
9.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.24 ₡1,457
$2.88 HNL 77.2
12.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.68 HNL 44.81
79.76%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 ₡1,362
$1.69 HNL 45.18
79.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.80 ₡1,258
$2.20 HNL 58.7
27.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.97 ₡436
$0.89 HNL 23.86
8.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 ₡1,121
$1.29 HNL 34.51
93.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.05 ₡2,269
$2.76 HNL 73.8
82.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.04 ₡7,206
$10.19 HNL 273
57.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₡1,029
$1.18 HNL 31.64
94.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ₡1,216
$1.70 HNL 45.40
59.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.98 ₡439
$0.63 HNL 16.77
55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.4 ₡22.6K
$36.84 HNL 985
36.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.85 ₡832
$3.45 HNL 92.2
-46.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 ₡898
$1.44 HNL 38.51
38.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.76 ₡3,485
$7.05 HNL 188
10.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₡676
$1.02 HNL 27.33
47.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K ₡16.5M
$19.2K HNL 513.4K
90.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K ₡16.1M
$19.5K HNL 521.2K
83.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.0 ₡39.1K
$123 HNL 3,277
-29.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.15 ₡11.3K
$10.97 HNL 293
129.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$47.64 HNL 1,274
11.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.8 ₡25.5K
$39.04 HNL 1,044
45.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.99 ₡13.0K
$16.98 HNL 454
70.73%
Cinema Ticket
$8.73 ₡3,920
$5.70 HNL 153
53.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$550 ₡246.9K
$218 HNL 5,828
152.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,899 ₡4.4M
$3,379 HNL 90.4K
192.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.7 ₡32.6K
$42.26 HNL 1,130
71.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.2 ₡23.9K
$34.76 HNL 930
52.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 ₡53.3K
$77.3 HNL 2,067
53.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 ₡45.7K
$80.1 HNL 2,142
27.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$817 ₡367.1K
$432 HNL 11.6K
89.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$549 ₡246.5K
$349 HNL 9,326
57.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,481 ₡665.4K
$823 HNL 22.0K
80.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 ₡465.7K
$649 HNL 17.4K
59.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,451 ₡1.1M
$2,141 HNL 57.3K
14.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,588 ₡713.2K
$1,092 HNL 29.2K
45.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Honduras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,053 ₡473.0K
$547 HNL 14.6K
92.67%
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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Honduras: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $750 in Costa Rica vs $107 in Honduras. For reference, capital cities sit at $864 in San Jose and $281 in Tegucigalpa.

Average salary: $1,101 in Costa Rica vs $561 in Honduras. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 601% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 86% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 160% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 96% 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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