Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Campina Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Campina Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,572 in Guanacaste versus $723 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,473 in Guanacaste versus $1,123 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,373 in Guanacaste versus $1,523 in Campina Grande.

Living in Guanacaste is roughly 117% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guanacaste is 14% above, Campina Grande is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.25 ₡5,013

$4.45 R$22.66

152.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.69 ₡21.7K

$28.83 R$147

68.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 ₡5,072

$6.68 R$34.03

70.36%

Cappuccino

$4.38 ₡1,953

$0.98 R$4.99

346.94%

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

$2.67 ₡1,192

$1.02 R$5.18

161.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡863

$0.57 R$2.92

240.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 ₡1,353

$1.50 R$7.64

102.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₡1,977

$2.15 R$10.95

106.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₡911

$1.14 R$5.83

78.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₡1,377

$1.57 R$8.01

96.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 ₡1,090

$1.04 R$5.29

135.58%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,539

$1.79 R$9.09

92.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 ₡2,498

$6.46 R$32.89

-13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₡1,923

$4.07 R$20.73

6.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 ₡5,022

$7.50 R$38.17

50.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ₡1,158

$1.32 R$6.74

96.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡719

$1.34 R$6.81

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 ₡1,969

$0.73 R$3.69

505.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₡679

$1.22 R$6.23

24.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ₡1,780

$1.25 R$6.36

219.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₡974

$1.04 R$5.31

110.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₡384

$0.49 R$2.52

75.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₡1,391

$0.74 R$3.79

321.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ₡1,944

$1.71 R$8.70

154.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 ₡9,051

$7.52 R$38.31

170.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,258

$1.09 R$5.55

158.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,212

$1.53 R$7.79

77.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₡522

$0.99 R$5.03

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.83 R$193

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 ₡1,092

$0.85 R$4.33

188.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡727

$0.70 R$3.54

132.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₡3,981

$3.33 R$16.97

168.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₡663

$1.19 R$6.06

25.21%

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

$22.0K ₡9.8M

$19.1K R$97.4K

15.15%

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

$35.4K ₡15.8M

$32.1K R$163.3K

10.51%

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

$94.6 ₡42.2K

$112 R$570

-15.47%

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

$36.82 ₡16.4K

$9.60 R$48.87

283.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.81 ₡15.1K

$17.03 R$86.7

98.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₡33.3K

$18.75 R$95.5

298.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.76 R$146

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 ₡3,806

$4.80 R$24.42

77.92%

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

$989 ₡440.8K

$80.5 R$410

1128.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ₡7.7M

$11.6K R$59.1K

49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 ₡29.6K

$36.82 R$188

80.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.70 ₡19.5K

$27.48 R$140

59.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₡39.7K

$69.9 R$356

27.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 ₡34.3K

$42.27 R$215

81.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ₡361.5K

$257 R$1,310

215.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₡282.0K

$189 R$963

234.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 ₡820.3K

$582 R$2,964

216.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 ₡577.4K

$348 R$1,772

272.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 R$1,978

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

75.60%

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

Last update for Guanacaste: August 30, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $811 in Guanacaste and $257 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Guanacaste vs $29.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $165 per month, with Campina Grande 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

Guanacaste vs Campina Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campina Grande is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,358 in Guanacaste and $1,085 in Campina Grande 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $811 in Guanacaste versus $257 in Campina Grande. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $989 in Guanacaste versus $80.5 in Campina Grande. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Campina Grande – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $49.00 in Guanacaste. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $723 in Campina Grande versus $1,572 in Guanacaste, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Campina Grande but tight or insufficient in Guanacaste. The gap between the two cities makes Campina Grande the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Campina Grande is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Guanacaste, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Campina Grande gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Guanacaste. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.