Cost of Living Comparison Between Curridabat and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Curridabat and Playa del Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,572 in Curridabat versus $1,745 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,429 in Curridabat versus $2,665 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,287 in Curridabat versus $3,585 in Playa del Coco.

Living in Curridabat costs roughly 10% less than in Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Curridabat 17% above, Playa del Coco 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₡4,904

$15.89 ₡7,180

-31.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡27.0K

$80.9 ₡36.6K

-26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 ₡4,054

$10.14 ₡4,582

-11.54%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₡1,660

$6.98 ₡3,155

-47.42%

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

$2.06 ₡930

$2.37 ₡1,072

-13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₡665

$1.88 ₡849

-21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 ₡1,311

$3.19 ₡1,443

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 ₡2,094

$5.98 ₡2,702

-22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₡921

$2.55 ₡1,153

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,297

$2.86 ₡1,294

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡971

Eggs

$3.01 ₡1,359

$2.89 ₡1,305

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₡4,433

$8.61 ₡3,889

13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 ₡4,166

$13.14 ₡5,938

-29.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 ₡6,223

$13.79 ₡6,232

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₡2,066

$4.48 ₡2,024

2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡660

$1.45 ₡654

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 ₡1,951

$4.23 ₡1,912

2.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 ₡1,539

$1.66 ₡748

105.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 ₡1,584

$3.35 ₡1,512

4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,440

$3.07 ₡1,385

3.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡428

$1.01 ₡458

-5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,311

$2.89 ₡1,307

0.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 ₡2,390

$4.87 ₡2,201

8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.81 ₡9,853

$16.62 ₡7,510

31.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₡1,123

$2.08 ₡939

19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,290

$2.57 ₡1,163

10.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₡452

$1.15 ₡522

-13.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡816

$2.90 ₡1,311

-37.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡836

$1.77 ₡799

4.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ₡3,657

$7.87 ₡3,555

2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡663

$1.91 ₡865

-23.04%

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

$38.3K ₡17.3M

$37.4K ₡16.9M

2.32%

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

$31.9K ₡14.4M

$32.9K ₡14.9M

-3.06%

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

$92.5 ₡41.8K

$175 ₡79.2K

-47.20%

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

$26.04 ₡11.8K

$25.51 ₡11.5K

2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 ₡26.7K

$60.8 ₡27.5K

-2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 ₡25.8K

$56.0 ₡25.3K

1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.79 ₡10.8K

$24.00 ₡10.8K

-0.88%

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 ₡4,521

$9.71 ₡4,389

3.09%

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

$568 ₡256.6K

$521 ₡235.3K

9.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.8M

$12.7K ₡5.8M

0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ₡27.8K

$62.0 ₡28.0K

-0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ₡22.9K

$52.1 ₡23.5K

-2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.0K

$124 ₡55.9K

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.0K

$107 ₡48.4K

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 ₡344.2K

$754 ₡340.5K

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₡274.7K

$597 ₡269.9K

1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ₡686.3K

$1,514 ₡684.1K

0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₡435.2K

$950 ₡429.1K

1.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 ₡149.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 ₡227.6K

$751 ₡339.3K

-32.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Curridabat: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $762 in Curridabat and $754 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Curridabat vs $81.0 in Playa del Coco. Groceries flip the comparison at $370 vs $367, with Playa del Coco cheaper for home cooking.

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

Curridabat vs Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curridabat is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Coco earns 49% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $762 in Curridabat versus $754 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $568 in Curridabat versus $521 in Playa del Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Curridabat – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $81.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,572 in Curridabat versus $1,745 in Playa del Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curridabat but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Curridabat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curridabat is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Coco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Curridabat and Playa del Coco are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Curridabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.