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

Name: Montserrat
Address: MS

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,535 per month in Costa Rica vs $724 in Montserrat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,916 in Montserrat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,108 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,107 in Montserrat, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 112% higher than in Montserrat on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while Montserrat is 46% 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 Montserrat ($724–$724), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,505

$18.22 EC$49.20

-44.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡26.8K

$48.67 EC$131

23.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 ₡4,516

$7.59 EC$20.48

33.33%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,738

$6.40 EC$17.29

-39.06%

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

$2.20 ₡982

$2.45 EC$6.63

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡743

$1.39 EC$3.76

20.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,367

$2.56 EC$6.92

19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,969

$4.52 EC$12.20

-2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡937

$3.26 EC$8.80

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 ₡1,437

$2.88 EC$7.79

11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,115

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,505

$6.92 EC$18.69

-51.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 ₡4,268

$6.01 EC$16.23

59.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 ₡4,212

$9.32 EC$25.17

1.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡5,992

$24.38 EC$65.8

-44.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 ₡2,084

$3.23 EC$8.71

44.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡700

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,428

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,330

$4.49 EC$12.13

-33.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,329

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,264

$2.26 EC$6.11

25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡452

$5.27 EC$14.24

-80.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,270

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 ₡7,200

$22.63 EC$61.1

-28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,047

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,255

$4.54 EC$12.26

-38.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡452

$1.87 EC$5.04

-45.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.99 ₡22.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡833

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ₡877

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,397

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡645

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

$36.5K ₡16.3M

$22.3K EC$60.1K

63.93%

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$16.7K EC$45.1K

112.06%

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

$87.3 ₡38.9K

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

$25.16 ₡11.2K

$40.36 EC$109

-37.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡23.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.6K

$54.9 EC$148

4.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.74 ₡12.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 ₡4,035

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

$553 ₡246.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,994 ₡4.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡23.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡45.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₡360.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₡242.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 ₡654.2K

$1,289 EC$3,480

13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 ₡454.0K

$1,283 EC$3,464

-20.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,638 ₡730.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡476.1K

$1,565 EC$4,224

-31.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

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

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montserrat: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $1,271 in Montserrat. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Salaries are 16% higher in Montserrat, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Montserrat.

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 Montserrat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montserrat is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 121% 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 Montserrat, contributing to the overall 121% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

Montserrat 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.