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 $1,624 per month in Costa Rica vs $657 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,530 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,009 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,435 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,360 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is about 147% higher than in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 20% above the global median, while Saint Vincent And The Grenadines is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.90 ₡4,888
$5.46 EC$14.74
99.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$61.7 EC$167
-10.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.84 ₡4,861
$11.20 EC$30.25
-3.21%
Cappuccino
$4.36 ₡1,955
$4.67 EC$12.62
-6.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 ₡1,047
$2.18 EC$5.87
7.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 ₡872
$1.73 EC$4.67
12.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.36 ₡1,507
$1.87 EC$5.04
79.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 ₡2,000
$2.26 EC$6.11
97.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 ₡1,050
$3.26 EC$8.79
-28.22%
White Bread (500g)
$3.47 ₡1,556
$2.18 EC$5.90
59.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.75 ₡1,234
$1.49 EC$4.04
84.56%
Eggs
$3.99 ₡1,788
$4.36 EC$11.78
-8.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.65 ₡4,326
$12.74 EC$34.41
-24.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 ₡4,472
$4.07 EC$10.99
144.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.87 ₡6,220
$11.84 EC$31.97
17.15%
Apples (1kg)
$4.95 ₡2,221
$9.41 EC$25.41
-47.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ₡756
$3.62 EC$9.79
-53.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.62 ₡1,625
$9.85 EC$26.60
-63.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.23 ₡1,447
$5.78 EC$15.61
-44.12%
Potato (1kg)
$3.52 ₡1,576
$3.74 EC$10.10
-5.88%
Onion (1kg)
$3.11 ₡1,395
$3.81 EC$10.30
-18.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ₡486
$2.85 EC$7.71
-62.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.72 ₡1,221
$2.28 EC$6.15
19.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.43 ₡2,436
$4.16 EC$11.23
30.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.55 ₡6,974
$16.75 EC$45.22
-7.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 ₡1,185
$2.69 EC$7.27
-1.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₡1,490
$2.46 EC$6.64
34.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 ₡488
$1.23 EC$3.33
-11.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.3 ₡29.3K
$50.9 EC$137
28.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.26 ₡1,014
$11.28 EC$30.46
-79.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 ₡904
$1.82 EC$4.92
10.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.23 ₡4,137
$29.82 EC$80.5
-69.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$3.16 EC$8.54
-50.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K ₡15.0M
$38.4K EC$103.6K
-12.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K ₡16.4M
$30.0K EC$81.1K
21.79%
🧾 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)
$96.9 ₡43.4K
$74.0 EC$200
30.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.70 ₡13.3K
$34.46 EC$93.1
-13.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.6 ₡26.7K
$53.4 EC$144
11.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.0 ₡29.1K
$32.93 EC$88.9
97.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.91 ₡10.3K
$4.54 EC$12.27
404.63%
Cinema Ticket
$8.41 ₡3,771
$4.50 EC$12.16
86.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$742 ₡332.9K
$105 EC$283
607.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K ₡5.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.8 ₡34.4K
$64.5 EC$174
19.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.2 ₡23.4K
$62.2 EC$168
-16.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$129 ₡58.0K
$75.1 EC$203
72.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 ₡50.5K
$91.2 EC$246
23.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$887 ₡397.7K
$404 EC$1,090
119.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 ₡300.6K
$299 EC$808
124.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,710 ₡767.0K
$691 EC$1,864
147.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,176 ₡527.4K
$500 EC$1,351
135.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,476 ₡1.1M
$593 EC$1,601
317.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,667 ₡747.6K
$593 EC$1,601
181.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Costa Rica
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,084 ₡485.9K
$1,047 EC$2,827
3.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.53
7.5
27.07%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: August 3, 2026

Last update for Saint Vincent And The Grenadines: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $769 in Costa Rica vs $140 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines. For reference, capital cities sit at $957 in San Jose and $280 in Kingstown.

Average salary: $1,101 in Costa Rica vs $1,078 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 449% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 163% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 79% 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 133% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or in 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 133% 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

Similar countries