Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Guelmim

For one person, living is cheaper in Guelmim: $562 a month against $1,534 in Guanacaste, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Guelmim, Morocco
Guanacaste
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,534
/mo nomad
Guelmim
🇲🇦 Morocco
$562
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guanacaste and in Guelmim

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

A single person spends $1,534 per month in Guanacaste vs $562 in Guelmim, rent included.

  • Guanacaste $1,534
  • Guelmim $562

A couple spends around $2,421 per month in Guanacaste vs $911 in Guelmim, rent included.

  • Guanacaste $2,421
  • Guelmim $911

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,261 in Guelmim, rent included.

  • Guanacaste $3,307
  • Guelmim $1,261

Guanacaste costs about 173% more than Guelmim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Guanacaste sits 13% above the global median, while Guelmim is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.77 ₡4,862
$5.05 MAD 49.68
113.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.69 ₡21.5K
$24.74 MAD 243
92.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.68 ₡5,272
$7.32 MAD 72.0
59.56%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡2,004
$2.10 MAD 20.63
111.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₡1,221
$0.80 MAD 7.85
237.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 ₡871
$0.34 MAD 3.34
467.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 ₡1,399
$4.95 MAD 48.65
-37.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,020
$4.38 MAD 43.01
2.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 ₡922
$0.84 MAD 8.24
142.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 ₡1,440
$0.40 MAD 3.98
697.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
$1.00 MAD 9.82
142.00%
Eggs
$3.59 ₡1,619
$1.61 MAD 15.87
122.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.63 ₡2,544
$8.16 MAD 80.2
-31.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.30 ₡1,943
$3.29 MAD 32.38
30.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.09 ₡5,007
$8.55 MAD 84.1
29.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 ₡1,210
$1.28 MAD 12.60
109.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 ₡709
$1.11 MAD 10.92
41.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.40 ₡1,989
$0.86 MAD 8.42
411.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 ₡689
$0.58 MAD 5.71
163.79%
Potato (1kg)
$3.86 ₡1,745
$0.63 MAD 6.18
512.70%
Onion (1kg)
$2.25 ₡1,017
$0.58 MAD 5.74
287.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 ₡406
$0.54 MAD 5.29
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₡1,386
$0.54 MAD 5.35
468.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.34 ₡1,959
$4.01 MAD 39.44
8.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.25 ₡9,144
$11.11 MAD 109
82.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,262
$1.20 MAD 11.82
133.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,202
$1.36 MAD 13.34
95.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.29 ₡584
$0.74 MAD 7.26
74.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.72 MAD 204
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.50 ₡1,128
$0.62 MAD 6.11
303.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡707
$0.59 MAD 5.76
166.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.85 ₡3,997
$5.95 MAD 58.5
48.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡709
$1.36 MAD 13.32
15.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K ₡15.2M
$30.1K MAD 295.9K
11.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K ₡18.6M
$32.0K MAD 314.8K
28.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.2K
$23.35 MAD 230
300.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.18 ₡16.3K
$10.23 MAD 101
253.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.69 ₡14.8K
$20.19 MAD 198
61.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.5 ₡30.0K
$25.35 MAD 249
162.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.58 MAD 202
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.85 ₡3,544
$5.23 MAD 51.4
50.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$968 ₡437.0K
$69.8 MAD 686
1286.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.5K ₡7.9M
$1,853 MAD 18.2K
843.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.5 ₡30.0K
$18.13 MAD 178
266.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.53 ₡20.1K
$15.45 MAD 152
188.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.6 ₡39.1K
$58.3 MAD 573
48.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.2 ₡35.3K
$30.53 MAD 300
156.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$795 ₡359.0K
$186 MAD 1,832
326.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 ₡279.8K
$113 MAD 1,110
448.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,899 ₡857.1K
$326 MAD 3,207
481.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,279 ₡577.4K
$219 MAD 2,153
483.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,175 MAD 11.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$818 MAD 8,045
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guanacaste
Guelmim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$311 MAD 3,057
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.5
32.62%

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

Last update for Guanacaste: October 25, 2026

Last update for Guelmim: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guanacaste
$620
Guelmim
$113 81.8% $507
Groceries & Markets
Guanacaste
$312
Guelmim
$152 51.5% $161
Eating Out
Guanacaste
$217
Guelmim
$126 42.2% $92
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guanacaste
$162
Guelmim
$54 66.9% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Guanacaste
$124
Guelmim
$55 55.6% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Guanacaste
$82
Guelmim
$36 56.4% $46
Getting Around
Guanacaste
$16 *
Guelmim
$27 75.7% $12

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Guanacaste versus $186 in Guelmim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Guanacaste versus $25 in Guelmim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $152 – making Guelmim the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Guanacaste
🇲🇦 Guelmim
🕒 Local time
18:56 6:56 PM
00:56 12:56 AM
6 h ahead of Guanacaste
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,823
118,318
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.83 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.98 MAD (100 MAD = 9.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guanacaste Guelmim 8,050 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guanacaste
  • Guelmim

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
Guanacaste vs Guelmim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guelmim cheaper than Guanacaste?
Yes – Guanacaste is pricier by about 173%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,301 per month in Guanacaste and $843 in Guelmim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guelmim, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $186 there versus $795 in Guanacaste.
What are total monthly expenses in Guanacaste and in Guelmim?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,534 in Guanacaste and $562 in Guelmim. That makes Guelmim about 63% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $968 per month in Guanacaste and $70 in Guelmim. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Guanacaste or in Guelmim?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guelmim, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Guanacaste at $1,534. In Guelmim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guanacaste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Guanacaste or Guelmim more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guelmim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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