Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Puerto Rico Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Puerto Rico

Name: Puerto Rico
Address: PR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,570 in Puerto Rico, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,391 in Puerto Rico, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,211 in Puerto Rico, rent included.

Costa Rica is roughly 2% cheaper than Puerto Rico on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Costa Rica and Puerto Rico are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 14%, Puerto Rico by 17%.

Puerto Rico has a wider regional cost range ($1,080–$2,421) than Costa Rica ($1,141–$2,107), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Puerto Rico.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ₡4,484

$15.27 $15.27

-35.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.2K

$75.9 $75.9

-20.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₡4,429

$8.81 $8.81

11.24%

Cappuccino

$4.11 ₡1,859

$3.33 $3.33

23.42%

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

$2.10 ₡951

$1.56 $1.56

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₡770

$1.23 $1.23

38.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,359

$2.62 $2.62

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₡1,986

$4.02 $4.02

9.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₡909

$2.11 $2.11

-4.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 ₡1,401

$3.07 $3.07

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,105

$2.34 $2.34

4.70%

Eggs

$3.37 ₡1,524

$5.19 $5.19

-35.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 ₡4,127

$9.83 $9.83

-7.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 ₡4,275

$8.65 $8.65

9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 ₡5,970

$11.55 $11.55

14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,052

$5.43 $5.43

-16.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡729

$2.67 $2.67

-39.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,440

$4.03 $4.03

-20.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,387

$4.60 $4.60

-33.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 ₡1,346

$3.23 $3.23

-7.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 ₡1,228

$2.80 $2.80

-2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡458

$2.57 $2.57

-60.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₡1,102

$1.88 $1.88

29.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 ₡2,277

$10.96 $10.96

-54.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.95 ₡7,205

$15.68 $15.68

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₡1,063

$2.37 $2.37

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,228

$3.34 $3.34

-18.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡438

$1.79 $1.79

-45.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.77 ₡22.5K

$40.08 $40.08

24.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₡855

$6.15 $6.15

-69.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡879

$1.00 $1.00

94.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ₡3,513

$27.23 $27.23

-71.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡683

$1.00 $1.00

51.00%

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

$37.3K ₡16.9M

$34.8K $34.8K

7.29%

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

$35.7K ₡16.1M

$27.1K $27.1K

31.63%

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

$86.7 ₡39.2K

$306 $306

-71.64%

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

$25.28 ₡11.4K

$71.3 $71.3

-64.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 ₡24.7K

$68.5 $68.5

-20.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.1K

$34.09 $34.09

69.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.25 ₡13.2K

$34.20 $34.20

-14.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 ₡4,112

$8.99 $8.99

1.22%

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

$542 ₡244.9K

$432 $432

25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.5M

$7,459 $7,459

34.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 ₡33.3K

$48.52 $48.52

51.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 ₡24.5K

$46.17 $46.17

17.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡53.9K

$85.9 $85.9

38.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₡46.9K

$102 $102

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 ₡360.9K

$798 $798

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₡246.3K

$605 $605

-9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 ₡669.5K

$1,573 $1,573

-5.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 ₡468.4K

$1,131 $1,131

-8.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 ₡1.1M

$5,548 $5,548

-56.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡724.1K

$2,449 $2,449

-34.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 ₡487.7K

$2,764 $2,764

-60.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

5.62

87.37%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: June 8, 2026

Last update for Puerto Rico: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $777 in Costa Rica vs $427 in Puerto Rico. For reference, capital cities sit at $880 in San Jose and $1,597 in San Juan.

Average salary: $1,089 in Costa Rica vs $2,396 in Puerto Rico. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 82% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 40% more in Puerto Rico.

Public transport is 86% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 120% higher in Puerto Rico, giving Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 8% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Puerto Rico, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Puerto Rico consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 8% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Puerto Rico it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Costa Rica 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.