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 $1,543 per month in Costa Rica vs $723 in Montserrat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,324 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,939 in Montserrat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,155 in Montserrat, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 113% more than 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.

Costa Rica has a wider regional cost range ($1,133–$2,084) than Montserrat ($723–$723), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Costa Rica.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ₡4,535

$18.25 EC$49.29

-45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ₡27.0K

$48.03 EC$130

23.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₡4,432

$7.58 EC$20.46

28.50%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₡1,791

$6.41 EC$17.30

-38.53%

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

$2.11 ₡959

$2.50 EC$6.75

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡752

$1.39 EC$3.75

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,327

$2.63 EC$7.11

11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡1,996

$4.40 EC$11.88

-0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₡940

$3.35 EC$9.03

-38.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,441

$3.02 EC$8.15

4.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,098

Eggs

$3.34 ₡1,518

$6.98 EC$18.84

-52.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,202

$6.10 EC$16.46

51.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 ₡4,276

$9.30 EC$25.12

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ₡6,169

$23.89 EC$64.5

-43.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₡2,037

$3.21 EC$8.68

39.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡708

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,527

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,401

$4.53 EC$12.24

-32.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₡1,316

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₡1,301

$2.24 EC$6.06

27.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡467

$5.30 EC$14.32

-80.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,145

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,227

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 ₡7,359

$22.32 EC$60.3

-27.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,086

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,264

$4.36 EC$11.77

-36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡428

$1.81 EC$4.89

-48.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.22 ₡22.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡848

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡916

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡686

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

$36.3K ₡16.5M

$22.3K EC$60.3K

62.69%

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

$35.7K ₡16.2M

$16.4K EC$44.2K

118.08%

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

$88.7 ₡40.4K

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

$25.67 ₡11.7K

$40.83 EC$110

-37.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 ₡24.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.2K

$55.4 EC$150

4.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 ₡13.2K

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 ₡4,095

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

$544 ₡247.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ₡33.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡24.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡54.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡45.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ₡363.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₡243.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ₡686.5K

$1,293 EC$3,492

16.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡473.5K

$1,294 EC$3,495

-19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡728.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ₡482.9K

$1,543 EC$4,167

-31.21%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montserrat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,098 in Costa Rica vs $1,307 in Montserrat. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Salaries are 19% higher in Montserrat, giving Montserrat 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 Montserrat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montserrat is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 122% 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 122% 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.