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

Name: Jamaica
Address: JM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $717 in Jamaica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,182 in Jamaica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,646 in Jamaica, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 114% more than Jamaica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 14% above the global median, while Jamaica is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ₡4,521

$8.75 JMD 1,376

13.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.4K

$63.1 JMD 9,921

-4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₡4,466

$8.06 JMD 1,268

21.59%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ₡1,875

$3.79 JMD 596

8.44%

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

$2.10 ₡958

$1.22 JMD 192

72.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₡776

$0.75 JMD 118

126.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,370

$2.55 JMD 401

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡2,002

$3.09 JMD 486

42.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₡916

$3.64 JMD 572

-44.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 ₡1,413

$2.96 JMD 466

4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,114

$1.54 JMD 242

59.09%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,536

$3.36 JMD 529

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 ₡4,161

$11.06 JMD 1,740

-17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 ₡4,310

$7.71 JMD 1,213

22.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 ₡6,019

$7.72 JMD 1,214

71.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,069

$6.12 JMD 963

-25.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡735

$3.57 JMD 562

-54.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,452

$4.12 JMD 648

-22.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,398

$2.18 JMD 343

40.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,357

$2.34 JMD 368

27.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 ₡1,238

$2.12 JMD 333

28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡462

$2.24 JMD 352

-54.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₡1,111

$1.25 JMD 196

95.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 ₡2,296

$9.35 JMD 1,470

-46.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.95 ₡7,265

$12.49 JMD 1,964

27.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,072

$2.55 JMD 401

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,238

$3.03 JMD 476

-10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡441

$0.97 JMD 153

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.77 ₡22.7K

$48.74 JMD 7,666

2.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₡862

$0.91 JMD 143

107.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡886

$3.10 JMD 488

-37.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ₡3,542

$8.20 JMD 1,289

-5.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡688

$1.33 JMD 210

13.53%

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

$37.3K ₡17.0M

$42.0K JMD 6.6M

-11.06%

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

$35.7K ₡16.3M

$32.2K JMD 5.1M

10.85%

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

$86.7 ₡39.5K

$139 JMD 21.8K

-37.41%

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

$25.28 ₡11.5K

$22.71 JMD 3,571

11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 ₡24.9K

$46.34 JMD 7,289

17.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.3K

$57.3 JMD 9,016

0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.25 ₡13.3K

$10.39 JMD 1,634

181.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 ₡4,146

$12.63 JMD 1,987

-27.95%

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

$542 ₡246.9K

$221 JMD 34.8K

144.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

$3,588 JMD 564.3K

179.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 ₡33.5K

$26.05 JMD 4,097

182.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 ₡24.7K

$23.62 JMD 3,715

129.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡54.4K

$65.2 JMD 10.3K

83.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₡47.3K

$81.4 JMD 12.8K

27.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 ₡363.9K

$670 JMD 105.3K

19.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₡248.4K

$353 JMD 55.5K

54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 ₡675.1K

$1,475 JMD 232.1K

0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 ₡472.3K

$895 JMD 140.7K

15.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 ₡1.1M

$2,708 JMD 426.0K

-11.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡730.1K

$3,092 JMD 486.4K

-48.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 ₡491.8K

$754 JMD 118.6K

43.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

8.34

26.26%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jamaica: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $777 in Costa Rica vs $203 in Jamaica. For reference, capital cities sit at $880 in San Jose and $886 in Kingston.

Average salary: $1,089 in Costa Rica vs $750 in Jamaica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 283% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 21% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 225% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 45% higher in Costa Rica, giving Jamaica 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 Jamaica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jamaica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 123% 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 Jamaica, contributing to the overall 123% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

Jamaica 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.