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 $1,535 per month in Costa Rica vs $388 in India, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Costa Rica vs $617 in India, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Costa Rica vs $846 in India, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 296% higher than in India on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while India is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Costa Rica ($1,125–$2,081) than in India ($265–$913), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,505

$2.53 ₹244

299.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡26.8K

$13.73 ₹1,321

337.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 ₡4,516

$4.00 ₹385

153.00%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,738

$1.91 ₹184

104.19%

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

$2.20 ₡982

$0.43 ₹41.85

411.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡743

$0.17 ₹16.11

882.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,367

$1.93 ₹186

58.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,969

$3.54 ₹341

24.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡937

$0.73 ₹69.9

187.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₡1,437

$0.52 ₹50.1

519.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,115

$0.73 ₹69.9

242.47%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,505

$0.95 ₹91.4

254.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,268

$5.32 ₹512

79.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 ₡4,212

$3.10 ₹299

204.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡5,992

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 ₡2,084

$2.16 ₹208

116.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡700

$0.70 ₹67.7

124.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,428

$1.05 ₹101

204.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,330

$0.53 ₹50.8

462.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,329

$0.39 ₹37.65

664.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,264

$0.48 ₹46.63

489.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡452

$0.52 ₹49.78

94.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,117

$0.36 ₹34.33

594.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,270

$4.02 ₹387

26.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₡7,200

$7.28 ₹701

121.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,047

$1.90 ₹183

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,255

$3.03 ₹292

-7.26%

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

$5.84 ₹562

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡452

$0.36 ₹34.66

180.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.3K

$9.84 ₹948

408.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡833

$0.95 ₹91.8

96.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡877

$0.30 ₹29.03

556.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,397

$1.79 ₹172

325.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡645

$1.21 ₹117

19.01%

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

$36.5K ₡16.3M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

163.37%

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$22.4K ₹2.2M

57.77%

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

$87.3 ₡38.9K

$40.16 ₹3,866

117.41%

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

$25.16 ₡11.2K

$3.76 ₹362

569.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡23.7K

$8.04 ₹774

559.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.6K

$16.25 ₹1,565

253.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.74 ₡12.8K

$7.56 ₹728

280.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 ₡4,035

$3.43 ₹330

163.56%

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

$553 ₡246.7K

$69.7 ₹6,713

693.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

$1,852 ₹178.3K

439.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

$25.59 ₹2,463

179.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.7K

$26.30 ₹2,531

102.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.0K

$44.89 ₹4,321

164.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.6K

$33.20 ₹3,196

207.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₡360.7K

$174 ₹16.8K

363.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₡242.5K

$112 ₹10.8K

383.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 ₡654.2K

$405 ₹38.9K

262.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡454.0K

$258 ₹24.8K

295.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

$1,263 ₹121.6K

89.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡730.9K

$653 ₹62.8K

151.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡476.1K

$424 ₹40.8K

151.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

9.02

16.74%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $750 in Costa Rica vs $127 in India. For reference, capital cities sit at $860 in San Jose and $242 in Delhi.

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $398 in India. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 491% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 364% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 175% 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 172% 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 172% 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.