Cost of Living Comparison Between Dominica and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Dominica and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $364 per month in Dominica vs $1,674 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $625 per month in Dominica vs $2,639 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $886 per month in Dominica vs $3,604 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Dominica is roughly 78% lower than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Dominica sits 74% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 EC$19.92

$11.02 ₡4,931

-33.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 EC$149

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 EC$19.68

$11.02 ₡4,930

-33.85%

Cappuccino

$3.66 EC$9.88

$4.45 ₡1,991

-17.75%

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

$2.43 EC$6.56

$2.47 ₡1,103

-1.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 EC$5.86

$1.96 ₡878

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 EC$4.95

$3.32 ₡1,486

-44.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 EC$8.77

$4.41 ₡1,976

-26.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 EC$8.51

$2.47 ₡1,107

27.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 EC$5.83

$3.58 ₡1,604

-39.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 EC$4.11

$2.68 ₡1,199

-43.28%

Eggs

$5.58 EC$15.07

$4.09 ₡1,832

36.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.50 EC$6.74

$9.90 ₡4,431

-74.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 EC$28.60

$10.29 ₡4,605

2.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 EC$35.65

$14.19 ₡6,348

-6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.79 EC$21.02

$4.99 ₡2,235

56.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 EC$7.42

$1.79 ₡802

53.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 EC$12.24

$3.63 ₡1,622

24.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 EC$14.25

$3.45 ₡1,542

53.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 EC$8.98

$3.38 ₡1,514

-1.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 EC$8.35

$3.09 ₡1,384

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 EC$5.33

$1.15 ₡513

72.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 EC$7.07

$2.86 ₡1,279

-8.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 EC$19.90

$5.42 ₡2,426

35.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 EC$29.51

$15.44 ₡6,909

-29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 EC$6.42

$2.70 ₡1,209

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 EC$7.85

$3.41 ₡1,526

-14.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 EC$3.47

$1.13 ₡504

14.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 EC$145

$66.7 ₡29.9K

-19.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 EC$10.18

$2.22 ₡995

69.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 EC$10.29

$1.99 ₡889

91.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 EC$27.86

$8.96 ₡4,009

15.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 EC$3.78

$1.58 ₡706

-11.39%

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

$35.2K EC$94.9K

$33.6K ₡15.0M

4.72%

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

$29.2K EC$78.7K

$37.0K ₡16.6M

-21.21%

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

$139 EC$376

$97.1 ₡43.4K

43.58%

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

$46.38 EC$125

$31.32 ₡14.0K

48.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 EC$184

$59.7 ₡26.7K

14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 EC$123

$65.5 ₡29.3K

-30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 EC$60.3

$23.48 ₡10.5K

-4.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.46 EC$25.55

$8.59 ₡3,843

10.13%

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

$128 EC$345

$748 ₡334.7K

-82.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,413 EC$11.9K

$12.6K ₡5.7M

-65.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 EC$151

$75.6 ₡33.8K

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.09 EC$81.2

$54.1 ₡24.2K

-44.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 EC$184

$129 ₡57.9K

-47.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 EC$218

$113 ₡50.7K

-28.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 EC$768

$875 ₡391.7K

-67.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 EC$611

$661 ₡296.0K

-65.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 EC$2,176

$1,772 ₡793.0K

-54.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 EC$1,743

$1,205 ₡539.0K

-46.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$103 EC$278

$2,413 ₡1.1M

-95.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$37.33 EC$101

$1,634 ₡731.1K

-97.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 EC$1,562

$1,078 ₡482.2K

-46.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.6

9.56

-20.50%

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

Last update for Dominica: August 31, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $89.0 in Dominica vs $820 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $280 in Roseau and $931 in San Jose.

Average salary: $555 in Dominica vs $1,106 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 821% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 194% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 56% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 99% higher in Costa Rica, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Dominica.

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

Dominica vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dominica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 156% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Dominica, contributing to the overall 156% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Dominica, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Dominica 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.