Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Mandeville Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Mandeville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,434 per month in Guanacaste vs $765 in Mandeville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,141 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,284 in Mandeville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,849 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,803 in Mandeville, rent included.

Guanacaste costs about 88% more than Mandeville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Guanacaste sits 7% above the global median, while Mandeville is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.77 ₡4,443

$6.14 JMD 963

59.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.08 ₡20.0K

$63.5 JMD 9,952

-30.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,504

$8.94 JMD 1,401

10.74%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₡1,723

$2.14 JMD 336

77.10%

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

$2.01 ₡914

$0.98 JMD 153

105.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡757

$0.76 JMD 120

119.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₡1,315

$2.25 JMD 352

28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₡1,883

$2.77 JMD 435

49.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₡829

$4.23 JMD 663

-56.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,261

$2.08 JMD 326

33.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₡991

$1.57 JMD 245

38.85%

Eggs

$3.02 ₡1,374

$3.53 JMD 554

-14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,304

$11.21 JMD 1,757

-54.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ₡1,852

$6.32 JMD 991

-35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 ₡4,596

$7.60 JMD 1,190

33.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₡1,118

$6.08 JMD 952

-59.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡668

$2.99 JMD 469

-50.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ₡1,790

$4.15 JMD 650

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₡647

$3.00 JMD 470

-52.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,546

$2.02 JMD 316

68.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₡878

$1.98 JMD 310

-2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₡346

$2.97 JMD 465

-74.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,322

$1.49 JMD 234

95.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ₡1,770

$8.34 JMD 1,306

-53.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.38 ₡10.2K

$11.61 JMD 1,819

92.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,140

$2.91 JMD 456

-13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,114

$3.22 JMD 505

-23.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡461

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡815

$1.09 JMD 170

64.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 ₡833

$3.09 JMD 484

-40.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₡3,660

$6.12 JMD 959

31.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡663

$1.28 JMD 200

14.06%

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

$37.6K ₡17.1M

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

-12.62%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$33.5K JMD 5.2M

-3.64%

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

$92.7 ₡42.2K

$93.0 JMD 14.6K

-0.35%

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

$25.74 ₡11.7K

$21.59 JMD 3,383

19.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.44 ₡13.4K

$50.3 JMD 7,874

-41.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ₡26.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.98 ₡10.9K

$10.81 JMD 1,694

121.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 ₡4,438

$12.90 JMD 2,022

-24.34%

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

$567 ₡257.9K

$228 JMD 35.6K

149.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$2,457 JMD 384.9K

414.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₡26.9K

$26.55 JMD 4,160

122.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 ₡17.8K

$25.78 JMD 4,039

51.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ₡35.9K

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

11.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₡31.5K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

-10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₡344.9K

$470 JMD 73.6K

61.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₡268.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 ₡696.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 ₡444.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 JMD 281.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 JMD 80.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

9.15

11.15%

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

Last update for Guanacaste: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Guanacaste versus $470 in Mandeville. 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 $44.00 in Guanacaste versus $64.0 in Mandeville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $335 – making Guanacaste the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mandeville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guanacaste is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,151 per month in Guanacaste and $1,147 in Mandeville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandeville, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,434 in Guanacaste and $765 in Mandeville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $567 per month in Guanacaste and $228 in Mandeville. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mandeville, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Guanacaste at $1,434. In Mandeville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guanacaste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mandeville – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mandeville. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guanacaste makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.