Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Us Virgin Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Us Virgin Islands

Name: Us Virgin Islands
Address: VI

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Costa Rica vs $2,198 in Us Virgin Islands, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Costa Rica vs $3,385 in Us Virgin Islands, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Costa Rica vs $4,572 in Us Virgin Islands, rent included.

The cost of living in Costa Rica is roughly 24% lower than in Us Virgin Islands on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Costa Rica and Us Virgin Islands are pricier than the global median – Costa Rica by 20%, Us Virgin Islands by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 ₡4,874

$24.65 $24.65

-55.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$145 $145

-61.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 ₡4,839

$12.16 $12.16

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$4.52 ₡2,021

$7.41 $7.41

-39.00%

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

$2.45 ₡1,095

$3.15 $3.15

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₡844

$2.64 $2.64

-28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 ₡1,476

$7.14 $7.14

-53.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ₡2,064

$6.92 $6.92

-33.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,085

$2.73 $2.73

-11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₡1,613

$6.80 $6.80

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 ₡1,207

$16.18 $16.18

-83.31%

Eggs

$4.01 ₡1,796

$8.61 $8.61

-53.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ₡4,568

$24.34 $24.34

-58.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 ₡4,647

$25.38 $25.38

-59.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,190

$31.59 $31.59

-56.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,272

$13.65 $13.65

-62.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₡782

$7.62 $7.62

-77.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₡1,575

$11.42 $11.42

-69.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 ₡1,446

$13.34 $13.34

-75.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,496

$4.79 $4.79

-30.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,422

$7.53 $7.53

-57.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡483

$5.91 $5.91

-81.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

$4.94 $4.94

-45.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 ₡2,495

$7.06 $7.06

-21.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 ₡6,817

$22.85 $22.85

-33.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,196

$3.02 $3.02

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₡1,490

$6.15 $6.15

-45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₡486

$6.01 $6.01

-81.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 ₡29.3K

$107 $107

-38.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ₡983

$19.76 $19.76

-88.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡870

$3.13 $3.13

-38.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 ₡3,969

$50.5 $50.5

-82.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ₡718

$1.36 $1.36

17.65%

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

$32.7K ₡14.6M

$49.4K $49.4K

-33.96%

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

$36.3K ₡16.3M

$53.7K $53.7K

-32.33%

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

$95.2 ₡42.6K

$398 $398

-76.07%

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

$31.50 ₡14.1K

$89.0 $89.0

-64.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$86.2 $86.2

-30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₡29.7K

$155 $155

-57.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₡10.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 ₡3,676

$11.87 $11.87

-30.83%

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

$726 ₡324.9K

$1,499 $1,499

-51.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$16.4K $16.4K

-22.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

$82.5 $82.5

-9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$70.6 $70.6

-24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.0K

$126 $126

-0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

$124 $124

-14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₡395.5K

$1,654 $1,654

-46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

$1,541 $1,541

-58.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 ₡779.9K

$3,830 $3,830

-54.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡522.7K

$4,144 $4,144

-71.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 ₡1.1M

$10.4K $10.4K

-76.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 ₡748.0K

$10.7K $10.7K

-84.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,083 ₡484.5K

$3,911 $3,911

-72.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

7.72

23.83%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Last update for Us Virgin Islands: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $816 in Costa Rica vs $1,498 in Us Virgin Islands. For reference, capital cities sit at $960 in San Jose and $1,235 in Charlotte Amalie.

Average salary: $1,106 in Costa Rica vs $4,210 in Us Virgin Islands. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 84% higher in Us Virgin Islands.

Dining out costs 123% more in Us Virgin Islands.

Public transport is 64% more expensive in Us Virgin Islands.

Salaries are 281% higher in Us Virgin Islands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Us Virgin Islands.

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 Us Virgin Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 96% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 96% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Us Virgin Islands 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.