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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,553 per month in Guanacaste vs $810 in Mandeville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,430 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,410 in Mandeville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Guanacaste vs $2,011 in Mandeville, rent included.

Guanacaste costs about 92% more than Mandeville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Guanacaste sits 13% above the global median, while Mandeville is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.01 ₡4,925

$6.21 JMD 975

77.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.88 ₡21.9K

$73.7 JMD 11.6K

-33.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 ₡5,286

$8.94 JMD 1,404

32.10%

Cappuccino

$4.34 ₡1,944

$2.20 JMD 345

97.27%

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

$2.59 ₡1,157

$1.08 JMD 170

139.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₡877

$0.74 JMD 116

164.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,366

$2.15 JMD 338

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,981

$2.91 JMD 457

52.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ₡928

$4.12 JMD 648

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,376

$1.87 JMD 293

64.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 ₡1,136

$1.60 JMD 251

58.75%

Eggs

$3.65 ₡1,635

$3.62 JMD 569

0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 ₡2,439

$11.30 JMD 1,775

-51.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,033

$6.50 JMD 1,020

-30.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ₡5,030

$10.33 JMD 1,623

8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₡1,220

$6.25 JMD 982

-56.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₡745

$3.86 JMD 607

-56.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 ₡2,043

$7.40 JMD 1,163

-38.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₡707

$3.14 JMD 493

-49.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 ₡1,776

$3.26 JMD 512

21.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 ₡972

$2.69 JMD 422

-19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₡418

$3.11 JMD 489

-70.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₡1,465

$1.52 JMD 239

115.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ₡2,032

$8.13 JMD 1,276

-44.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.10 ₡8,995

$11.35 JMD 1,783

77.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,259

$2.85 JMD 448

-1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,229

$4.11 JMD 646

-33.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡589

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₡1,137

$1.19 JMD 187

113.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 ₡707

$3.13 JMD 491

-49.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ₡3,830

$6.22 JMD 977

37.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₡668

$1.35 JMD 212

10.37%

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

$22.1K ₡9.9M

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

-49.06%

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

$35.1K ₡15.7M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

5.54%

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

$95.1 ₡42.6K

$94.0 JMD 14.8K

1.19%

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

$37.45 ₡16.8K

$21.95 JMD 3,448

70.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.99 ₡15.2K

$50.7 JMD 7,964

-32.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 ₡33.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.94 JMD 1,719

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 ₡3,684

$13.03 JMD 2,047

-36.84%

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

$985 ₡440.7K

$369 JMD 58.0K

166.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ₡7.8M

$8,155 JMD 1.3M

112.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 ₡29.5K

$24.13 JMD 3,791

173.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.89 ₡20.1K

$31.52 JMD 4,952

42.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₡39.5K

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 ₡35.3K

$103 JMD 16.3K

-23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ₡358.8K

$466 JMD 73.3K

71.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 ₡852.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₡566.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,779 JMD 279.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

9.45

-7.09%

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

Last update for Guanacaste: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $802 in Guanacaste versus $466 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 $49.00 in Guanacaste versus $74.0 in Mandeville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $369 – 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 92%, 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 $2,329 per month in Guanacaste and $1,214 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 $1,553 in Guanacaste and $810 in Mandeville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $985 per month in Guanacaste and $369 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 $810, than in Guanacaste at $1,553. 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.