Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Cartago, Costa Rica

For one person, living is cheaper in Da Nang: $889 a month against $1,733 in Cartago, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Da Nang
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Da Nang Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Cartago
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Cartago Living Index

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Da Nang

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$889

/mo nomad

Cartago

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Da Nang and in Cartago

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $889 in Da Nang versus $1,733 in Cartago.

Da Nang $889
Cartago $1,733

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Da Nang versus $2,363 in Cartago.

Da Nang $1,426
Cartago $2,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,963 in Da Nang versus $2,993 in Cartago.

Da Nang $1,963
Cartago $2,993

Living in Da Nang costs roughly 49% less than in Cartago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Da Nang is 35% below, Cartago is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 ₫56.0K

$8.61 ₡3,886

-74.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.53 ₫504.0K

$35.63 ₡16.1K

-45.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₫117.0K

$9.75 ₡4,400

-53.54%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ₫42.4K

$4.55 ₡2,056

-63.96%

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

$0.60 ₫15.6K

$2.24 ₡1,013

-73.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,901

$1.37 ₡618

-75.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 ₫34.4K

$2.15 ₡972

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₫61.0K

$4.20 ₡1,896

-43.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ₫41.2K

$2.39 ₡1,079

-33.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₫31.0K

$2.48 ₡1,118

-51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.1K

$2.42 ₡1,093

-56.61%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.3K

$3.59 ₡1,622

-57.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ₫330.7K

$8.73 ₡3,940

46.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 ₫107.5K

$10.61 ₡4,788

-60.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 ₫240.6K

$13.93 ₡6,288

-33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ₫67.2K

$5.05 ₡2,279

-48.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.3K

$1.33 ₡601

-9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$4.37 ₡1,975

-70.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ₫40.5K

$2.99 ₡1,350

-47.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.0K

$2.16 ₡977

-44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 ₫33.9K

$2.25 ₡1,015

-41.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₫26.9K

$1.07 ₡484

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.7K

$2.18 ₡985

-77.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.0K

$5.98 ₡2,700

-74.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 ₫205.6K

$15.61 ₡7,047

-48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₫24.0K

$2.85 ₡1,286

-67.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₫56.3K

$2.02 ₡911

7.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₫7,693

$1.27 ₡571

-76.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.31 ₫162.7K

$74.1 ₡33.5K

-91.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₫26.8K

$1.31 ₡591

-20.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫14.6K

$1.57 ₡711

-63.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.27 ₫497.1K

$8.73 ₡3,941

120.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.4K

$1.50 ₡675

-39.33%

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

$30.8K ₫795.4M

$34.7K ₡15.7M

-11.13%

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

$28.4K ₫732.2M

$42.3K ₡19.1M

-32.88%

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

$78.5 ₫2.0M

$53.0 ₡23.9K

48.19%

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

$6.35 ₫163.9K

$36.31 ₡16.4K

-82.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.33 ₫214.9K

$60.0 ₡27.1K

-86.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.08 ₫698.6K

$68.0 ₡30.7K

-60.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.32 ₫137.2K

$77.5 ₡35.0K

-93.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 ₫86.8K

$7.16 ₡3,234

-52.93%

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

$423 ₫10.9M

$559 ₡252.2K

-24.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ₫389.5M

$7,872 ₡3.6M

91.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.19 ₫1.2M

$72.8 ₡32.9K

-37.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.75 ₫716.1K

$56.8 ₡25.7K

-51.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₫2.6M

$121 ₡54.8K

-17.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 ₫2.1M

$87.1 ₡39.3K

-4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 ₫14.3M

$733 ₡331.0K

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₫9.5M

$725 ₡327.1K

-49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 ₫31.7M

$1,920 ₡866.9K

-36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₫21.2M

$702 ₡316.8K

17.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,858 ₫99.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 ₫48.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 ₫9.4M

$1,305 ₡589.0K

-72.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

8.62

24.36%

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

Last update for Da Nang: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cartago: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Da Nang

$369 41.5%

Cartago

$725 41.8% 96.3% $355

Groceries & Markets

Da Nang

$200 22.5%

Cartago

$350 20.2% 75.1% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Da Nang

$115 13%

Cartago

$152 8.8% 31.9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Da Nang

$93 10.5%

Cartago

$149 8.6% 60.2% $56

Eating Out

Da Nang

$66 7.4%

Cartago

$186 10.8% 183% $121

Sport & Entertainment

Da Nang

$34 3.8%

Cartago

$82 4.8% 143% $49

Getting Around

Da Nang

$11 1.3%

Cartago

$88 5.1% 677% $77

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $553 in Da Nang and $733 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays about 3.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $20 in Da Nang vs $36 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $350 per month, with Da Nang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Da Nang

🇨🇷 Cartago

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

13:59 1:59 PM

13 h behind Da Nang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,245,200

110,000

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 25,802 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 28,810 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Da Nang Cartago 16,840 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Da Nang
Cartago

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

Da Nang vs Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang is about 49% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Da Nang. 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: $553 in Da Nang versus $733 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Da Nang runs roughly 91% less than in Cartago. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $423 in Da Nang versus $559 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $889 in Da Nang versus $1,733 in Cartago, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Da Nang but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Da Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Da Nang and Cartago are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.