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 $1,533 per month in Costa Rica vs $717 in Jamaica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,179 in Jamaica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,106 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,641 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.

Jamaica has a wider regional cost range ($0–$1,461) than Costa Rica ($1,126–$2,034), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Jamaica.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.74 ₡4,451

$8.85 JMD 1,400

10.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$63.6 JMD 10.1K

-4.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 ₡4,530

$8.17 JMD 1,293

21.42%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ₡1,848

$3.79 JMD 600

6.60%

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

$2.12 ₡969

$1.23 JMD 195

72.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡749

$0.79 JMD 124

107.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,332

$2.47 JMD 391

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ₡2,036

$3.16 JMD 500

41.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₡953

$3.64 JMD 576

-42.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₡1,453

$2.94 JMD 465

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,099

$1.53 JMD 242

57.52%

Eggs

$3.43 ₡1,567

$3.48 JMD 551

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 ₡4,349

$11.14 JMD 1,763

-14.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 ₡4,213

$7.71 JMD 1,221

19.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ₡6,041

$7.69 JMD 1,217

71.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,149

$6.27 JMD 993

-25.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡712

$3.65 JMD 578

-57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,528

$4.24 JMD 670

-20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 ₡1,371

$2.21 JMD 350

35.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₡1,337

$2.37 JMD 375

23.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 ₡1,240

$2.03 JMD 321

33.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡464

$2.36 JMD 373

-56.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$1.19 JMD 188

103.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 ₡2,287

$9.33 JMD 1,476

-46.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 ₡7,448

$12.24 JMD 1,938

33.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₡1,053

$2.58 JMD 408

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,300

$3.08 JMD 487

-7.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡431

$0.96 JMD 151

-2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.31 ₡22.5K

$49.73 JMD 7,870

-0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡825

$0.98 JMD 156

84.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 ₡913

$3.13 JMD 495

-36.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 ₡3,396

$8.54 JMD 1,352

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡662

$1.33 JMD 211

9.02%

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

$36.3K ₡16.6M

$42.0K JMD 6.6M

-13.58%

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

$34.8K ₡15.9M

$32.6K JMD 5.2M

6.64%

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

$88.1 ₡40.2K

$139 JMD 22.1K

-36.86%

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

$25.36 ₡11.6K

$22.90 JMD 3,625

10.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 ₡24.7K

$47.41 JMD 7,503

14.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.4K

$56.4 JMD 8,925

2.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 ₡13.3K

$10.44 JMD 1,652

178.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ₡4,134

$12.63 JMD 1,999

-28.35%

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

$550 ₡251.1K

$224 JMD 35.5K

144.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ₡4.7M

$3,662 JMD 579.7K

178.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡32.7K

$25.90 JMD 4,099

175.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 ₡24.6K

$24.00 JMD 3,798

124.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₡55.1K

$67.5 JMD 10.7K

78.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡46.2K

$81.0 JMD 12.8K

24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ₡371.1K

$673 JMD 106.5K

20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₡252.8K

$354 JMD 56.1K

56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ₡681.8K

$1,438 JMD 227.7K

3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₡483.0K

$919 JMD 145.5K

15.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,263 ₡1.0M

$2,720 JMD 430.5K

-16.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₡746.5K

$3,080 JMD 487.5K

-46.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡487.3K

$757 JMD 119.9K

40.84%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Jamaica: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $778 in Costa Rica vs $203 in Jamaica. For reference, capital cities sit at $885 in San Jose and $886 in Kingston.

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $757 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 19% 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 116% 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 116% 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.