Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Costa Rica: $1,779 a month against $2,701 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

86

Cost of Living Index in Costa Rica
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Costa Rica Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

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🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,779

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Costa Rica and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Costa Rica and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,779 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,701 in the United States, rent included.

Costa Rica $1,779
United States $2,701

A couple spends around $2,745 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,980 in the United States, rent included.

Costa Rica $2,745
United States $3,980

A family of three spends $3,711 per month in Costa Rica vs $5,258 in the United States, rent included.

Costa Rica $3,711
United States $5,258

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($980–$5,162) than in Costa Rica ($1,004–$2,127), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 34% lower than in the United States on average.

Both Costa Rica and the United States are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 32%, the United States by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ₡5,278

$19.92 $19.92

-40.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₡24.7K

$81.0 $81.0

-31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 ₡4,880

$12.07 $12.07

-9.86%

Cappuccino

$4.50 ₡2,018

$5.55 $5.55

-18.92%

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

$2.37 ₡1,063

$2.67 $2.67

-11.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡858

$2.09 $2.09

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 ₡1,457

$5.96 $5.96

-45.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ₡1,974

$7.76 $7.76

-43.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 ₡1,098

$1.05 $1.05

133.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₡1,599

$3.55 $3.55

0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 ₡1,235

$4.64 $4.64

-40.73%

Eggs

$4.03 ₡1,806

$4.18 $4.18

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 ₡4,504

$12.76 $12.76

-21.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 ₡4,665

$12.63 $12.63

-17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 ₡6,140

$17.22 $17.22

-20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₡2,313

$5.15 $5.15

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ₡760

$1.64 $1.64

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 ₡1,613

$4.46 $4.46

-19.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 ₡1,519

$4.98 $4.98

-31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,506

$2.84 $2.84

18.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,427

$3.09 $3.09

2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.19 $2.19

-48.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,195

$2.27 $2.27

17.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ₡2,415

$10.61 $10.61

-49.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 ₡7,197

$14.71 $14.71

9.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₡1,214

$2.10 $2.10

29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₡1,480

$3.82 $3.82

-13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.35 $2.35

-51.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 ₡29.5K

$64.1 $64.1

2.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 ₡1,021

$3.57 $3.57

-36.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 ₡895

$1.85 $1.85

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₡4,074

$30.19 $30.19

-69.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡689

$1.07 $1.07

43.93%

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

$32.5K ₡14.6M

$35.3K $35.3K

-7.99%

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

$36.6K ₡16.4M

$25.9K $25.9K

41.30%

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

$95.7 ₡42.9K

$217 $217

-55.80%

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

$30.83 ₡13.8K

$61.4 $61.4

-49.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 ₡26.2K

$74.4 $74.4

-21.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ₡29.4K

$45.08 $45.08

45.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 ₡9,948

$23.07 $23.07

-3.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ₡3,701

$14.79 $14.79

-44.22%

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

$743 ₡333.3K

$1,480 $1,480

-49.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.7M

$25.5K $25.5K

-50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₡33.7K

$53.0 $53.0

41.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 ₡25.3K

$42.75 $42.75

32.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡59.0K

$94.3 $94.3

39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₡49.2K

$115 $115

-4.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 ₡376.9K

$1,678 $1,678

-49.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ₡293.9K

$1,313 $1,313

-50.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 ₡784.7K

$2,649 $2,649

-33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 ₡527.9K

$2,183 $2,183

-46.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,434 ₡1.1M

$3,374 $3,374

-27.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,640 ₡735.7K

$2,661 $2,661

-38.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,071 ₡480.5K

$4,404 $4,404

-75.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

6.55

45.95%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: October 12, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Costa Rica

$655 36.9%

United States

$1.3K 48.6% 100% $658

Groceries & Markets

Costa Rica

$383 21.5%

United States

$411 15.2% 7.3% $28

Eating Out

Costa Rica

$223 12.5%

United States

$327 12.1% 46.5% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Costa Rica

$185 10.4%

United States

$352 13% 90.5% $167

Clothing & Footwear

Costa Rica

$168 9.4%

United States

$137 5.1% 18.1% $30

Getting Around

Costa Rica

$83 4.6%

United States

$86 3.2% 4.4% $3.7

Sport & Entertainment

Costa Rica

$82 4.6%

United States

$75 2.8% 9% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $830 in Costa Rica vs $1,609 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $927 in San Jose and $2,730 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $1,089 in Costa Rica vs $4,533 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 94% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 39% more in the United States.

Public transport is 80% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 316% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

18:31 6:31 PM

20:31 8:31 PM

2 h ahead of Costa Rica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,044,197

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Costa Rica United States 2,870 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Costa Rica
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 52% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,609 versus $830 in Costa Rica.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Costa Rica, adding to the overall 52% price gap.

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