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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Grecia versus $1,758 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,845 in Grecia versus $2,661 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in Grecia versus $3,565 in Playa del Coco.

Living in Grecia costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grecia 2% above, Playa del Coco 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.22 ₡3,757

$16.19 ₡7,399

-49.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 ₡17.9K

$79.2 ₡36.2K

-50.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 ₡4,298

$10.21 ₡4,667

-7.84%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₡1,150

$7.09 ₡3,238

-64.46%

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

$1.43 ₡654

$2.39 ₡1,090

-40.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₡441

$1.94 ₡888

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 ₡990

$3.21 ₡1,467

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ₡1,236

$6.01 ₡2,748

-55.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₡875

$2.48 ₡1,133

-22.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₡469

$2.85 ₡1,300

-63.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₡972

$2.21 ₡1,011

-3.62%

Eggs

$3.01 ₡1,377

$2.90 ₡1,324

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.02 ₡2,748

$8.67 ₡3,963

-30.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 ₡1,840

$12.78 ₡5,841

-68.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 ₡6,371

$13.42 ₡6,131

3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,008

$4.58 ₡2,094

-51.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.51 ₡690

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₡533

$4.38 ₡2,002

-73.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₡535

$1.63 ₡744

-28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ₡733

$3.46 ₡1,580

-53.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₡624

$2.94 ₡1,342

-53.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡468

$0.95 ₡436

7.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₡916

$2.92 ₡1,333

-31.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 ₡2,416

$5.06 ₡2,310

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 ₡5,839

$16.84 ₡7,694

-24.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡868

$2.18 ₡996

-12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₡648

$2.58 ₡1,178

-44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 ₡820

$1.16 ₡528

55.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₡836

$2.90 ₡1,325

-36.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡821

$1.84 ₡840

-2.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 ₡3,646

$7.77 ₡3,548

2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡668

$1.91 ₡872

-23.56%

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

$37.5K ₡17.1M

$37.2K ₡17.0M

0.80%

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

$32.7K ₡14.9M

$32.5K ₡14.8M

0.66%

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

$82.7 ₡37.8K

$172 ₡78.4K

-51.80%

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

$25.62 ₡11.7K

$25.70 ₡11.7K

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 ₡27.2K

$60.6 ₡27.7K

-1.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.15 ₡20.6K

$57.8 ₡26.4K

-21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.90 ₡10.9K

$24.19 ₡11.1K

-1.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ₡3,175

$10.12 ₡4,624

-31.32%

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

$575 ₡262.9K

$519 ₡236.9K

10.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$12.8K ₡5.9M

-0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.3K

$61.9 ₡28.3K

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 ₡23.6K

$52.2 ₡23.8K

-1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡58.1K

$126 ₡57.4K

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.7K

$107 ₡48.9K

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₡182.8K

$752 ₡343.7K

-46.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₡275.8K

$595 ₡272.0K

1.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₡321.2K

$1,544 ₡705.3K

-54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₡277.6K

$955 ₡436.3K

-36.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$327 ₡149.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 ₡304.6K

$781 ₡357.0K

-14.70%

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 Grecia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Grecia and $752 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 17% 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: $39.00 in Grecia vs $79.0 in Playa del Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $366 per month, with Grecia cheaper across the board.

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

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

Grecia wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Playa del Coco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Grecia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Coco earns 17% 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: $400 in Grecia versus $752 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $575 in Grecia versus $519 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 Grecia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $79.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,371 in Grecia versus $1,758 in Playa del Coco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Grecia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Grecia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Grecia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,371 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Grecia hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Grecia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.