Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Saint Vincent And The Grenadines Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,264 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,053 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,842 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 22% more than Saint Vincent And The Grenadines on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 14% above the global median, while Saint Vincent And The Grenadines is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Costa Rica has a wider regional cost range ($1,141$2,107) than Saint Vincent And The Grenadines ($1,202$1,326), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Costa Rica.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.92 ₡4,484
$7.22 EC$19.50
37.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.2K
$70.4 EC$190
-14.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₡4,429
$11.14 EC$30.07
-12.03%
Cappuccino
$4.11 ₡1,859
$3.26 EC$8.81
26.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ₡951
$1.86 EC$5.02
12.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₡770
$1.81 EC$4.88
-6.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.01 ₡1,359
$1.90 EC$5.13
58.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 ₡1,986
$3.66 EC$9.88
19.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₡909
$3.30 EC$8.92
-39.09%
White Bread (500g)
$3.10 ₡1,401
$1.90 EC$5.12
63.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.45 ₡1,105
$1.75 EC$4.72
40.00%
Eggs
$3.37 ₡1,524
$4.63 EC$12.49
-27.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.13 ₡4,127
$13.04 EC$35.22
-29.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.46 ₡4,275
$5.56 EC$15.01
70.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.21 ₡5,970
$13.64 EC$36.82
-3.15%
Apples (1kg)
$4.54 ₡2,052
$12.30 EC$33.20
-63.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡729
$2.81 EC$7.58
-42.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.19 ₡1,440
$9.18 EC$24.78
-65.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 ₡1,387
$6.20 EC$16.73
-50.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 ₡1,346
$4.92 EC$13.28
-39.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.72 ₡1,228
$4.02 EC$10.86
-32.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 ₡458
$4.65 EC$12.55
-78.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₡1,102
$3.39 EC$9.15
-28.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.04 ₡2,277
$4.41 EC$11.91
14.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.95 ₡7,205
$16.52 EC$44.61
-3.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 ₡1,063
$2.53 EC$6.83
-7.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 ₡1,228
$2.71 EC$7.32
0.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.97 ₡438
$1.46 EC$3.95
-33.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.77 ₡22.5K
$59.8 EC$161
-16.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.89 ₡855
$11.08 EC$29.90
-82.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.94 ₡879
$1.82 EC$4.93
6.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.78 ₡3,513
$36.42 EC$98.3
-78.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ₡683
$4.12 EC$11.13
-63.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3K ₡16.9M
$33.1K EC$89.4K
12.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K ₡16.1M
$25.2K EC$68.1K
41.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.7 ₡39.2K
$78.6 EC$212
10.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.28 ₡11.4K
$28.18 EC$76.1
-10.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.7 ₡24.7K
$56.0 EC$151
-2.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.8 ₡26.1K
$28.75 EC$77.6
101.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.25 ₡13.2K
$9.38 EC$25.31
211.83%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10 ₡4,112
$5.56 EC$15.02
63.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$542 ₡244.9K
$142 EC$384
281.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K ₡4.5M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.6 ₡33.3K
$92.9 EC$251
-20.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 ₡24.5K
$91.4 EC$247
-40.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 ₡53.9K
$135 EC$366
-11.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 ₡46.9K
$117 EC$317
-11.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$799 ₡360.9K
$414 EC$1,117
93.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$545 ₡246.3K
$290 EC$783
87.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,482 ₡669.5K
$1,564 EC$4,222
-5.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 ₡468.4K
$586 EC$1,583
76.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,403 ₡1.1M
$609 EC$1,643
294.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,603 ₡724.1K
$588 EC$1,587
172.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,079 ₡487.7K
$1,057 EC$2,855
2.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.53
9.75
8.00%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: June 8, 2026

Last update for Saint Vincent And The Grenadines: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $777 in Costa Rica vs $318 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines. For reference, capital cities sit at $880 in San Jose and $334 in Kingstown.

Average salary: $1,089 in Costa Rica vs $1,061 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 144% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 49% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 515% more expensive in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines.

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 Saint Vincent And The Grenadines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 28% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
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.
How do daily expenses compare in Costa Rica vs Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, contributing to the overall 28% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Costa Rica and Saint Vincent And The Grenadines on $1,500 per month?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Costa Rica or Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines 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.

Costa Rica vs other spots: cost of living compared

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