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

Name: India
Address: IN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Costa Rica vs $365 in India, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,639 per month in Costa Rica vs $579 in India, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,604 per month in Costa Rica vs $792 in India, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 359% higher than in India on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 22% above the global median, while India is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Costa Rica ($1,011–$2,175) than in India ($231–$827), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 ₡4,910

$2.06 ₹196

434.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 ₡24.7K

$10.63 ₹1,009

421.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 ₡4,909

$3.70 ₹352

197.84%

Cappuccino

$4.45 ₡1,982

$1.74 ₹165

155.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₡1,099

$0.37 ₹35.32

567.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₡874

$0.17 ₹16.34

1052.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,479

$1.93 ₹183

72.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,967

$3.06 ₹290

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 ₡1,103

$0.62 ₹58.9

298.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 ₡1,597

$0.49 ₹46.69

630.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 ₡1,194

$0.63 ₹60.1

325.40%

Eggs

$4.09 ₡1,824

$0.94 ₹88.9

335.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ₡4,412

$4.67 ₹444

111.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 ₡4,585

$2.88 ₹274

257.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 ₡6,321

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 ₡2,225

$1.91 ₹181

161.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₡798

$0.64 ₹60.9

179.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 ₡1,615

$0.98 ₹93.3

270.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,536

$0.51 ₹48.14

576.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 ₡1,508

$0.34 ₹32.08

894.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,378

$0.42 ₹39.88

635.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₡511

$0.48 ₹45.68

139.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,273

$0.29 ₹27.41

886.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 ₡2,416

$4.91 ₹466

10.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 ₡6,880

$7.27 ₹690

112.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₡1,204

$1.65 ₹157

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₡1,519

$2.66 ₹253

28.20%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.22 ₹495

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₡502

$0.27 ₹25.81

318.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 ₡29.7K

$8.45 ₹803

689.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 ₡991

$0.96 ₹91.3

131.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ₡885

$0.27 ₹25.87

637.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 ₡3,992

$1.60 ₹152

460.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡703

$1.12 ₹106

41.07%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.6K ₡15.0M

$12.7K ₹1.2M

163.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.0K ₡16.5M

$20.4K ₹1.9M

81.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$97.1 ₡43.3K

$37.48 ₹3,559

159.04%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.32 ₡14.0K

$3.50 ₹332

794.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.6K

$7.16 ₹680

733.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 ₡29.2K

$14.79 ₹1,405

342.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.48 ₡10.5K

$7.08 ₹672

231.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 ₡3,826

$3.06 ₹291

180.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$748 ₡333.3K

$57.0 ₹5,409

1213.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.6M

$1,679 ₹159.4K

653.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 ₡33.7K

$22.56 ₹2,142

235.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 ₡24.1K

$24.04 ₹2,283

124.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.7K

$40.60 ₹3,856

218.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₡50.5K

$30.39 ₹2,886

272.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 ₡390.0K

$145 ₹13.8K

503.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₡294.7K

$91.4 ₹8,674

624.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 ₡789.7K

$335 ₹31.8K

429.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 ₡536.7K

$209 ₹19.9K

475.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 ₡1.1M

$1,233 ₹117.1K

95.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₡728.0K

$626 ₹59.4K

161.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,078 ₡480.2K

$443 ₹42.1K

143.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

8.94

6.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Costa Rica: August 30, 2026

Last update for India: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $820 in Costa Rica vs $120 in India. For reference, capital cities sit at $931 in San Jose and $272 in Delhi.

Average salary: $1,106 in Costa Rica vs $408 in India. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 583% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 430% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 171% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 201% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in India, contributing to the overall 201% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in India, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

India 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.