Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Turks And Caicos Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Turks And Caicos Islands

Name: Turks And Caicos Islands
Address: TC

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,533 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,065 in Turks And Caicos Islands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,667 in Turks And Caicos Islands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,106 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,269 in Turks And Caicos Islands, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 44% more than Turks And Caicos Islands on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 14% above the global median, while Turks And Caicos Islands is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Turks And Caicos Islands has a wider regional cost range ($0–$2,866) than Costa Rica ($1,126–$2,034), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Turks And Caicos Islands.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.74 ₡4,451

$20.22 $20.22

-51.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$122 $122

-50.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 ₡4,530

$10.02 $10.02

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ₡1,848

$5.61 $5.61

-27.99%

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

$2.12 ₡969

$2.73 $2.73

-22.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡749

$2.65 $2.65

-38.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,332

$4.98 $4.98

-41.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ₡2,036

$6.39 $6.39

-30.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₡953

$5.42 $5.42

-61.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₡1,453

$3.91 $3.91

-18.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,099

Eggs

$3.43 ₡1,567

$3.97 $3.97

-13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 ₡4,349

$26.88 $26.88

-64.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 ₡4,213

$14.97 $14.97

-38.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ₡6,041

$17.36 $17.36

-23.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,149

$3.92 $3.92

19.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡712

$2.67 $2.67

-41.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,528

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 ₡1,371

$6.50 $6.50

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₡1,337

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 ₡1,240

$1.94 $1.94

39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡464

$6.35 $6.35

-83.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$2.00 $2.00

21.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 ₡2,287

$6.90 $6.90

-27.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 ₡7,448

$19.81 $19.81

-17.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₡1,053

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,300

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₡431

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.31 ₡22.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡825

$3.03 $3.03

-40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 ₡913

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 ₡3,396

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡662

$2.18 $2.18

-33.49%

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

$36.3K ₡16.6M

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

$34.8K ₡15.9M

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

$88.1 ₡40.2K

$338 $338

-73.96%

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

$25.36 ₡11.6K

$46.36 $46.36

-45.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 ₡24.7K

$143 $143

-62.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.4K

$98.4 $98.4

-41.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 ₡13.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ₡4,134

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

$550 ₡251.1K

$498 $498

10.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ₡4.7M

$8,090 $8,090

26.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡32.7K

$78.6 $78.6

-9.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 ₡24.6K

$59.6 $59.6

-9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₡55.1K

$150 $150

-19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡46.2K

$98.8 $98.8

2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ₡371.1K

$1,559 $1,559

-47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₡252.8K

$1,273 $1,273

-56.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ₡681.8K

$3,000 $3,000

-50.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₡483.0K

$2,578 $2,578

-58.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,263 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₡746.5K

$2,166 $2,166

-24.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ₡487.3K

$4,613 $4,613

-76.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

50.43%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: April 13, 2026

Last update for Turks And Caicos Islands: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,096 in Costa Rica vs $4,606 in Turks And Caicos Islands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 28% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 70% more in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 320% higher in Turks And Caicos Islands, giving Turks And Caicos Islands 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 Turks And Caicos Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turks And Caicos Islands is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 10% 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 Turks And Caicos Islands, contributing to the overall 10% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Turks And Caicos Islands, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Turks And Caicos Islands 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.