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

Name: Spain
Address: ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,689 in Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,496 in Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,303 in Spain, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 2% lower than in Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Costa Rica and Spain are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 20%, Spain by 22%.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($973–$2,672) than in Costa Rica ($996–$2,154), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 ₡4,874

$17.71 €15.27

-38.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$57.6 €49.61

-3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 ₡4,839

$11.81 €10.18

-8.47%

Cappuccino

$4.52 ₡2,021

$2.43 €2.10

86.01%

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

$2.45 ₡1,095

$2.76 €2.38

-11.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₡844

$1.84 €1.59

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 ₡1,476

$3.52 €3.03

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ₡2,064

$4.16 €3.58

10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,085

$1.21 €1.04

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₡1,613

$1.54 €1.32

133.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 ₡1,207

$1.64 €1.41

64.63%

Eggs

$4.01 ₡1,796

$3.59 €3.10

11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ₡4,568

$14.81 €12.77

-31.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,647

$8.49 €7.32

22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,190

$16.68 €14.38

-17.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,272

$2.53 €2.18

100.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₡782

$2.09 €1.80

-16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₡1,575

$2.13 €1.84

65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 ₡1,446

$2.55 €2.20

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,496

$1.82 €1.57

83.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,422

$2.00 €1.72

59.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡483

$1.37 €1.18

-21.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

$0.81 €0.70

230.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 ₡2,495

$6.71 €5.79

-16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 ₡6,817

$5.64 €4.87

170.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,196

$1.29 €1.11

106.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,490

$2.10 €1.81

58.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₡486

$1.76 €1.51

-38.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 ₡29.3K

$34.25 €29.52

90.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ₡983

$4.55 €3.92

-51.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡870

$1.47 €1.27

31.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 ₡3,969

$25.66 €22.12

-65.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ₡718

$1.79 €1.54

-10.61%

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

$32.7K ₡14.6M

$36.4K €31.4K

-10.25%

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

$36.3K ₡16.3M

$30.6K €26.4K

18.78%

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

$95.2 ₡42.6K

$152 €131

-37.44%

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

$31.50 ₡14.1K

$18.49 €15.94

70.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$33.57 €28.94

77.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₡29.7K

$47.38 €40.84

40.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₡10.6K

$15.56 €13.41

51.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 ₡3,676

$9.96 €8.59

-17.57%

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

$726 ₡324.9K

$548 €473

32.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$10.8K €9,343

17.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

$90.1 €77.6

-17.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$37.31 €32.16

43.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.0K

$92.0 €79.3

35.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$111 €96.1

-4.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₡395.5K

$1,049 €905

-15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

$836 €720

-23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 ₡779.9K

$1,663 €1,433

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡522.7K

$1,250 €1,078

-6.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 ₡1.1M

$4,240 €3,655

-43.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 ₡748.0K

$2,711 €2,337

-38.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,083 ₡484.5K

$2,021 €1,742

-46.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

3.28

191.46%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Last update for Spain: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $816 in Costa Rica vs $931 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $960 in San Jose and $1,577 in Madrid.

Average salary: $1,106 in Costa Rica vs $2,035 in Spain. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 14% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 11% more in Spain.

Public transport is 121% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 84% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 16% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 16% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Spain 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.