Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gijon and Samara, Costa Rica

For one person, living is cheaper in Gijon: $1,746 a month against $2,032 in Samara, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gijon, Spain
Samara, Costa Rica
Gijon
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,746
/mo nomad
Samara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,032
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gijon and in Samara

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,746 in Gijon versus $2,032 in Samara.

  • Gijon $1,746
  • Samara $2,032

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,577 in Gijon versus $3,533 in Samara.

  • Gijon $2,577
  • Samara $3,533

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,407 in Gijon versus $5,034 in Samara.

  • Gijon $3,407
  • Samara $5,034

Living in Gijon costs roughly 14% less than in Samara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gijon 28% above, Samara 49% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.51 €14.80
$11.07 ₡4,997
49.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$62.2 ₡28.1K
8.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.75 €14.11
$11.70 ₡5,282
34.62%
Cappuccino
$2.61 €2.34
$4.34 ₡1,960
-39.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.54
$2.72 ₡1,229
4.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.92 ₡866
18.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.00 €3.59
$3.32 ₡1,501
20.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 €5.11
$4.51 ₡2,036
26.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.14
$2.42 ₡1,095
-47.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.67
$3.05 ₡1,376
-39.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.45 €1.30
$2.50 ₡1,129
-42.00%
Eggs
$4.25 €3.81
$3.46 ₡1,561
22.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.12 €10.86
$10.78 ₡4,868
12.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 €7.07
$10.49 ₡4,736
-24.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.60 €15.77
$10.82 ₡4,885
62.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 €2.99
$5.01 ₡2,263
-33.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.65 ₡745
-8.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.75 €2.47
$4.72 ₡2,129
-41.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.18 €2.85
$3.82 ₡1,723
-16.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.35 €2.11
$3.72 ₡1,679
-36.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 €2.04
$3.69 ₡1,665
-38.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 €1.15
$1.08 ₡487
18.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.72
$3.09 ₡1,397
-74.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.63 €5.94
$5.57 ₡2,516
19.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.09 €9.04
$18.86 ₡8,513
-46.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.21
$2.78 ₡1,255
-51.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.58
$2.48 ₡1,119
-28.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Gijon
Samara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.40 ₡630
0.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.17 €30.62
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.49 €4.92
$2.48 ₡1,118
121.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 €1.13
$1.57 ₡709
-19.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.24 €26.21
$8.51 ₡3,843
243.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.62
$1.52 ₡686
19.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K €32.8K
$34.3K ₡15.5M
6.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K €26.3K
$41.2K ₡18.6M
-28.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 €131
$94.0 ₡42.4K
55.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.43 €16.52
$35.45 ₡16.0K
-48.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.12 €20.72
$59.0 ₡26.6K
-60.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.5 €47.01
$66.9 ₡30.2K
-21.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.08 €8.14
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.79 €7.88
$7.88 ₡3,556
11.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$487 €436
$502 ₡226.4K
-2.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K €8,998
$6,013 ₡2.7M
66.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.9 €86.0
$67.1 ₡30.3K
43.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.95 €28.63
$55.5 ₡25.1K
-42.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.8
$129 ₡58.4K
-14.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €104
$133 ₡60.0K
-12.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gijon
Samara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$901 €807
$1,373 ₡619.7K
-34.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 €648
$967 ₡436.4K
-25.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,373 €1,230
$3,769 ₡1.7M
-63.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 €930
$2,611 ₡1.2M
-60.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,606 €3,231
$4,955 ₡2.2M
-27.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,096 €1,878
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gijon
Samara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,865 €1,671
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.43
8.62
-60.21%

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

Last update for Gijon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Samara: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gijon
$723
Samara
$967 33.8% $244
Groceries & Markets
Gijon
$292
Samara
$385 31.8% $93
Eating Out
Gijon
$263
Samara
$220 16.2% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gijon
$188
Samara
$188 0.3% $0.5
Clothing & Footwear
Gijon
$159
Samara
$173 8.7% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Gijon
$70
Samara
$83 17.9% $13
Getting Around
Gijon
$52
Samara
$16 * 69.2% $36

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 $901 in Gijon and $1,373 in Samara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68 in Gijon vs $62 in Samara. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $385, with Gijon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Gijon
🇨🇷 Samara
🕒 Local time
09:35 9:35 AM
02:35 2:35 AM
7 h behind Gijon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
268,313
1,071
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gijon Samara 8,440 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gijon
  • Samara

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
Gijon vs Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gijon cheaper than Samara?
Gijon is about 14% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,620 in Gijon and $3,048 in Samara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Gijon and Samara?
Rent for a central apartment: $901 in Gijon versus $1,373 in Samara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $487 in Gijon versus $502 in Samara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Gijon or in Samara?
Dining out is cheaper in Samara – a meal for two runs $62 versus $68 in Gijon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 enough for either Gijon or Samara?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Gijon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Gijon or in Samara?
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.
Which city is safer, Gijon or Samara?
Safety-wise, Gijon and Samara are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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