Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Topeka, KS

For one person, living costs are similar in Escazu and in Topeka, KS: $1,934 and $1,909 a month, rent and utilities included.

93

Cost of Living Index in Escazu
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Escazu Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
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Topeka, KS Living Index

Jump to prices

Escazu

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,934

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,909

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Escazu and in Topeka, KS

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,934 in Escazu versus $1,909 in Topeka, KS.

Escazu $1,934
Topeka, KS $1,909

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,959 in Escazu versus $2,846 in Topeka, KS.

Escazu $2,959
Topeka, KS $2,846

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,984 in Escazu versus $3,783 in Topeka, KS.

Escazu $3,984
Topeka, KS $3,783

Monthly costs are close between Escazu and Topeka, KS; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Escazu 43% above, Topeka, KS 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.06 ₡5,425

$13.38 $13.38

-9.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 ₡27.8K

$53.0 $53.0

16.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 ₡5,290

$10.10 $10.10

16.44%

Cappuccino

$4.49 ₡2,021

$3.46 $3.46

29.77%

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

$2.66 ₡1,195

$2.39 $2.39

11.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡860

$1.73 $1.73

10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$4.46 $4.46

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₡1,953

$9.09 $9.09

-52.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 ₡1,101

$0.87 $0.87

181.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₡1,389

$2.70 $2.70

14.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,124

$3.04 $3.04

-17.76%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,551

$4.09 $4.09

-15.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 ₡4,805

$8.88 $8.88

20.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 ₡4,623

$8.42 $8.42

22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 ₡6,360

$14.94 $14.94

-5.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₡2,323

$4.80 $4.80

7.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.57 $1.57

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 ₡1,453

$5.26 $5.26

-38.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 ₡1,351

$4.28 $4.28

-29.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,702

$3.54 $3.54

7.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,676

$2.62 $2.62

42.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₡447

$1.90 $1.90

-47.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₡755

$0.87 $0.87

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 ₡2,463

$9.19 $9.19

-40.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 ₡8,509

$12.14 $12.14

55.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₡754

$1.83 $1.83

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,246

$1.73 $1.73

60.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₡472

$2.03 $2.03

-48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ₡922

$2.78 $2.78

-26.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡835

$1.52 $1.52

22.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ₡3,638

$32.82 $32.82

-75.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡664

$0.95 $0.95

55.79%

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

$28.0K ₡12.6M

$26.3K $26.3K

6.29%

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

$36.6K ₡16.4M

$25.7K $25.7K

42.51%

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

$94.5 ₡42.5K

$145 $145

-35.00%

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

$29.94 ₡13.5K

$47.88 $47.88

-37.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.4K

$66.0 $66.0

-11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 ₡47.3K

$37.90 $37.90

177.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 ₡4,413

$15.49 $15.49

-36.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ₡3,446

$13.44 $13.44

-43.01%

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

$458 ₡206.1K

$435 $435

5.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ₡7.7M

$8,899 $8,899

93.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 ₡32.3K

$38.38 $38.38

87.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡24.7K

$28.01 $28.01

96.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.4K

$90.2 $90.2

41.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.6K

$81.5 $81.5

62.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ₡389.3K

$618 $618

40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$848 ₡381.4K

$848 $848

-0.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 ₡867.3K

$1,161 $1,161

66.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 ₡675.0K

$1,458 $1,458

2.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,404 ₡631.2K

$1,588 $1,588

-11.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 ₡436.0K

$1,297 $1,297

-25.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,792 ₡805.8K

$3,540 $3,540

-49.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.24

38.14%

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

Last update for Escazu: November 1, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Escazu

$848 43.9%

Topeka, KS

$848 44.4% 0% $0

Groceries & Markets

Escazu

$363 18.8%

Topeka, KS

$324 17% 10.6% $38

Eating Out

Escazu

$229 11.9%

Topeka, KS

$236 12.4% 2.8% $6.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Escazu

$183 9.5%

Topeka, KS

$259 13.6% 41.6% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Escazu

$174 9%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.6% 38.4% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Escazu

$121 6.2%

Topeka, KS

$65 3.4% 46.3% $56

Getting Around

Escazu

$16 * 0.8%

Topeka, KS

$69 3.6% 348% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $866 in Escazu and $618 in Topeka, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Topeka, KS pays 98% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Escazu vs $53 in Topeka, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $324 per month, with Topeka, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Escazu

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

Same time as Escazu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,984

124,331

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 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 November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Escazu Topeka, KS 3,440 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Escazu
Topeka, KS

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

Escazu vs Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Escazu. 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: $866 in Escazu versus $618 in Topeka, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Topeka, KS – a meal for two runs $53 versus $62 in Escazu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $458 in Escazu versus $435 in Topeka, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Topeka, KS gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.