Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and United Kingdom

Name: United Kingdom
Address: GB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,405 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,520 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Costa Rica vs $4,635 in United Kingdom, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 31% lower than in United Kingdom on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Costa Rica and United Kingdom are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 20%, United Kingdom by 74%.

The regional cost range is wider in United Kingdom ($1,100–$4,235) than in Costa Rica ($996–$2,154), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 ₡4,874

$21.52 £15.90

-49.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$88.0 £65.0

-36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 ₡4,839

$10.89 £8.05

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$4.52 ₡2,021

$4.92 £3.64

-8.13%

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

$2.45 ₡1,095

$2.59 £1.91

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₡844

$1.84 £1.36

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 ₡1,476

$6.91 £5.11

-52.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ₡2,064

$6.86 £5.07

-32.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,085

$1.67 £1.23

44.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₡1,613

$1.67 £1.23

115.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 ₡1,207

$2.20 £1.63

22.73%

Eggs

$4.01 ₡1,796

$4.19 £3.10

-4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ₡4,568

$9.98 £7.38

2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,647

$9.47 £7.00

9.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,190

$15.41 £11.39

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,272

$3.02 £2.23

68.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₡782

$1.70 £1.25

2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₡1,575

$2.92 £2.16

20.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 ₡1,446

$3.38 £2.50

-4.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,496

$1.84 £1.36

81.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,422

$1.58 £1.17

101.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡483

$1.26 £0.93

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

$1.70 £1.26

57.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 ₡2,495

$24.21 £17.90

-76.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 ₡6,817

$11.00 £8.13

38.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,196

$2.98 £2.21

-10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,490

$3.39 £2.51

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₡486

$3.43 £2.53

-68.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 ₡29.3K

$105 £77.9

-37.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ₡983

$5.36 £3.96

-58.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡870

$2.37 £1.75

-18.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 ₡3,969

$27.55 £20.36

-67.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ₡718

$1.93 £1.43

-17.10%

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

$32.7K ₡14.6M

$39.7K £29.3K

-17.72%

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

$36.3K ₡16.3M

$40.7K £30.1K

-10.63%

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

$95.2 ₡42.6K

$321 £238

-70.39%

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

$31.50 ₡14.1K

$18.67 £13.80

68.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$43.93 £32.47

35.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₡29.7K

$46.56 £34.41

42.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₡10.6K

$18.71 £13.83

26.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 ₡3,676

$13.53 £10.00

-39.32%

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

$726 ₡324.9K

$1,739 £1,285

-58.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$22.7K £16.7K

-43.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

$90.9 £67.2

-17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$47.40 £35.04

13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.0K

$105 £77.8

18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$101 £74.9

5.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₡395.5K

$1,382 £1,022

-36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

$1,095 £809

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 ₡779.9K

$2,216 £1,638

-21.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡522.7K

$1,814 £1,341

-35.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 ₡1.1M

$5,730 £4,235

-58.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 ₡748.0K

$4,515 £3,337

-62.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,083 ₡484.5K

$3,329 £2,461

-67.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

5.32

79.70%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $816 in Costa Rica vs $1,285 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $960 in San Jose and $2,926 in London.

Average salary: $1,106 in Costa Rica vs $3,292 in United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 57% higher in United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 58% more in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 514% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 198% higher in United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United Kingdom.

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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 69% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 69% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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