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 $1,660 per month in Costa Rica vs $826 in Jamaica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,356 in Jamaica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,885 in Jamaica, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 101% higher than in Jamaica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 20% above the global median, while Jamaica is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 ₡4,874

$11.25 JMD 1,767

-3.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

-26.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 ₡4,839

$8.07 JMD 1,267

33.95%

Cappuccino

$4.52 ₡2,021

$4.39 JMD 690

2.96%

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

$2.45 ₡1,095

$1.20 JMD 189

104.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₡844

$0.71 JMD 112

166.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 ₡1,476

$2.25 JMD 354

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ₡2,064

$3.86 JMD 607

19.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,085

$3.73 JMD 586

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₡1,613

$3.27 JMD 513

10.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 ₡1,207

$1.59 JMD 250

69.81%

Eggs

$4.01 ₡1,796

$3.88 JMD 609

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ₡4,568

$11.91 JMD 1,870

-14.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,647

$8.21 JMD 1,290

26.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,190

$8.80 JMD 1,383

57.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,272

$6.61 JMD 1,039

-23.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₡782

$3.76 JMD 591

-53.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₡1,575

$4.90 JMD 769

-28.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 ₡1,446

$2.67 JMD 420

20.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,496

$2.76 JMD 434

21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,422

$2.46 JMD 386

29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡483

$2.58 JMD 405

-58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

$1.39 JMD 218

92.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 ₡2,495

$9.96 JMD 1,565

-44.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 ₡6,817

$12.12 JMD 1,903

25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,196

$2.76 JMD 433

-3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,490

$3.22 JMD 506

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₡486

$0.97 JMD 152

12.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 ₡29.3K

$45.88 JMD 7,207

42.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ₡983

$0.97 JMD 153

126.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡870

$3.12 JMD 490

-37.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 ₡3,969

$7.54 JMD 1,184

17.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ₡718

$1.32 JMD 208

21.21%

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

$32.7K ₡14.6M

$40.9K JMD 6.4M

-20.17%

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

$36.3K ₡16.3M

$28.8K JMD 4.5M

26.16%

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

$95.2 ₡42.6K

$155 JMD 24.4K

-38.70%

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

$31.50 ₡14.1K

$27.02 JMD 4,244

16.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$50.1 JMD 7,875

19.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₡29.7K

$54.3 JMD 8,526

22.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₡10.6K

$14.81 JMD 2,327

59.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 ₡3,676

$13.48 JMD 2,118

-39.09%

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

$726 ₡324.9K

$344 JMD 54.0K

111.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$5,151 JMD 809.2K

147.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

$29.66 JMD 4,659

151.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$29.21 JMD 4,588

83.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.0K

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

62.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$92.1 JMD 14.5K

15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₡395.5K

$819 JMD 128.6K

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

$431 JMD 67.6K

48.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 ₡779.9K

$1,754 JMD 275.5K

-0.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡522.7K

$1,141 JMD 179.2K

2.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 ₡1.1M

$3,971 JMD 623.7K

-39.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 ₡748.0K

$3,267 JMD 513.2K

-48.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,083 ₡484.5K

$762 JMD 119.7K

42.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

9.61

-0.52%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jamaica: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $816 in Costa Rica vs $177 in Jamaica. For reference, capital cities sit at $960 in San Jose and $955 in Kingston.

Average salary: $1,106 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 361% higher in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 250% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 47% 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 85% 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 85% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 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.