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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,425 per month in Guanacaste vs $765 in Mandeville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,146 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,279 in Mandeville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,794 in Mandeville, rent included.

Guanacaste costs about 86% 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

$9.89 ₡4,426

$6.17 JMD 974

60.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.00 ₡19.2K

$63.0 JMD 9,933

-31.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 ₡4,520

$8.63 JMD 1,362

17.03%

Cappuccino

$3.74 ₡1,673

$2.16 JMD 341

73.15%

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

$2.07 ₡926

$0.99 JMD 156

109.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡713

$0.72 JMD 113

120.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ₡1,334

$2.21 JMD 348

34.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,928

$2.79 JMD 441

54.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡812

$4.30 JMD 678

-57.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,280

$2.15 JMD 339

33.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡987

$1.61 JMD 255

37.27%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,333

$3.47 JMD 547

-14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,271

$11.22 JMD 1,771

-54.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,728

$6.46 JMD 1,020

-40.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 ₡4,528

$7.83 JMD 1,235

29.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ₡1,090

$6.00 JMD 947

-59.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡647

$3.10 JMD 490

-53.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 ₡1,818

$4.14 JMD 654

-1.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₡635

$2.90 JMD 458

-51.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ₡1,510

$2.08 JMD 329

62.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₡906

$2.03 JMD 320

-0.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₡369

$2.99 JMD 472

-72.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₡1,265

$1.49 JMD 234

89.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ₡1,806

$8.26 JMD 1,303

-51.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.12 ₡9,896

$11.18 JMD 1,765

97.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,123

$2.76 JMD 436

-9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₡1,090

$3.09 JMD 488

-21.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡425

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡827

$1.12 JMD 177

65.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡799

$3.21 JMD 506

-44.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 ₡3,562

$6.10 JMD 963

30.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡655

$1.23 JMD 195

18.70%

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

$37.8K ₡16.9M

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-11.40%

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

$33.2K ₡14.8M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-1.81%

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

$93.3 ₡41.7K

$92.9 JMD 14.7K

0.47%

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

$26.11 ₡11.7K

$22.15 JMD 3,495

17.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.87 ₡13.4K

$50.3 JMD 7,943

-40.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 ₡25.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 ₡10.7K

$10.77 JMD 1,700

121.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 ₡4,568

$13.21 JMD 2,085

-22.71%

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

$564 ₡252.1K

$226 JMD 35.7K

149.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$2,532 JMD 399.5K

407.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 ₡27.1K

$26.32 JMD 4,153

129.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 ₡18.1K

$26.02 JMD 4,105

55.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₡35.7K

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

11.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 ₡31.3K

$76.4 JMD 12.1K

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₡341.5K

$463 JMD 73.0K

64.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 ₡271.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡676.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡429.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,768 JMD 279.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mandeville: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $763 in Guanacaste versus $463 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 $43.00 in Guanacaste versus $63.0 in Mandeville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $336 – 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 86%, 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 $2,137 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 $1,425 in Guanacaste and $765 in Mandeville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $564 per month in Guanacaste and $226 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 $1,425. 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.