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 $1,540 per month in Costa Rica vs $717 in Jamaica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,324 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,180 in Jamaica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,643 in Jamaica, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 115% higher than in Jamaica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 16% above the global median, while Jamaica is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 ₡4,558

$8.87 JMD 1,395

14.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡26.9K

$63.0 JMD 9,912

-5.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 ₡4,463

$8.24 JMD 1,296

20.39%

Cappuccino

$4.06 ₡1,828

$3.59 JMD 565

13.09%

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

$2.12 ₡953

$1.26 JMD 199

68.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₡776

$0.80 JMD 125

116.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 ₡1,347

$2.44 JMD 383

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 ₡2,023

$3.12 JMD 491

44.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₡910

$3.67 JMD 578

-44.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₡1,390

$2.89 JMD 454

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,092

$1.61 JMD 253

50.93%

Eggs

$3.32 ₡1,492

$3.43 JMD 540

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 ₡4,131

$11.20 JMD 1,762

-18.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 ₡4,191

$7.99 JMD 1,257

16.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ₡5,950

$7.66 JMD 1,204

72.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,131

$6.16 JMD 969

-23.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡722

$3.70 JMD 582

-56.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 ₡1,461

$4.12 JMD 648

-21.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 ₡1,330

$2.19 JMD 345

35.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,315

$2.36 JMD 371

23.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 ₡1,249

$2.07 JMD 325

34.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡461

$2.23 JMD 351

-54.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,104

$1.25 JMD 196

96.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 ₡2,278

$9.36 JMD 1,472

-45.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.79 ₡7,557

$12.11 JMD 1,905

38.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₡1,033

$2.61 JMD 411

-11.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,263

$3.16 JMD 497

-11.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡461

$0.96 JMD 151

7.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.91 ₡22.0K

$49.44 JMD 7,776

-1.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡814

$0.96 JMD 151

88.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡907

$3.14 JMD 493

-35.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,455

$8.07 JMD 1,269

-4.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡676

$1.32 JMD 207

13.64%

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

$36.2K ₡16.3M

$41.6K JMD 6.5M

-13.07%

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

$36.0K ₡16.2M

$32.7K JMD 5.1M

10.07%

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

$87.9 ₡39.5K

$142 JMD 22.3K

-37.93%

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

$25.69 ₡11.6K

$23.24 JMD 3,655

10.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 ₡24.5K

$45.82 JMD 7,207

18.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ₡25.6K

$55.7 JMD 8,763

2.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 ₡12.9K

$10.44 JMD 1,643

174.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 ₡4,048

$12.34 JMD 1,941

-27.07%

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

$556 ₡250.3K

$227 JMD 35.8K

144.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ₡4.6M

$3,677 JMD 578.3K

176.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 ₡33.0K

$26.56 JMD 4,178

176.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.9K

$24.21 JMD 3,809

119.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.5K

$65.2 JMD 10.3K

82.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₡46.4K

$81.8 JMD 12.9K

26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 ₡359.5K

$667 JMD 104.9K

19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ₡244.3K

$363 JMD 57.1K

49.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 ₡662.1K

$1,474 JMD 231.8K

-0.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ₡475.0K

$912 JMD 143.4K

15.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,461 ₡1.1M

$2,683 JMD 422.0K

-8.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,640 ₡737.8K

$3,062 JMD 481.5K

-46.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,084 ₡487.7K

$734 JMD 115.4K

47.74%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Jamaica: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $752 in Costa Rica vs $203 in Jamaica. For reference, capital cities sit at $873 in San Jose and $909 in Kingston.

Average salary: $1,101 in Costa Rica vs $752 in Jamaica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 270% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 21% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 225% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 46% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Jamaica.

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 119% 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 119% 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.