Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Semarang Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Semarang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,434 per month in Guanacaste vs $652 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,141 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,022 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,849 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,391 in Semarang, rent included.

Guanacaste costs about 120% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Guanacaste sits 7% above the global median, while Semarang is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.77 ₡4,443

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

442.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.08 ₡20.0K

$12.32 Rp 220.0K

257.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,504

$3.69 Rp 65.8K

168.29%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₡1,723

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

152.67%

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

$2.01 ₡914

$0.52 Rp 9,317

286.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡757

$0.27 Rp 4,815

518.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₡1,315

$1.99 Rp 35.5K

45.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₡1,883

$3.01 Rp 53.7K

37.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₡829

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

78.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,261

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

168.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₡991

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

172.50%

Eggs

$3.02 ₡1,374

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

98.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,304

$6.11 Rp 109.1K

-17.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ₡1,852

$2.93 Rp 52.4K

38.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 ₡4,596

$8.73 Rp 155.9K

15.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₡1,118

$2.59 Rp 46.2K

-5.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡668

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

-7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ₡1,790

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

109.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₡647

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

-10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,546

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

161.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₡878

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

2.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₡346

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

-16.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,322

$0.41 Rp 7,272

609.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ₡1,770

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

72.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.38 ₡10.2K

$14.10 Rp 251.8K

58.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,140

$2.58 Rp 46.1K

-2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,114

$2.88 Rp 51.3K

-14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡461

$0.26 Rp 4,643

288.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.11 Rp 234.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡815

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

92.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 ₡833

$0.31 Rp 5,613

490.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₡3,660

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

179.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡663

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

69.77%

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

$37.6K ₡17.1M

$24.5K Rp 438.2M

53.26%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$31.2K Rp 556.5M

3.61%

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

$92.7 ₡42.2K

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

-1.35%

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

$25.74 ₡11.7K

$2.74 Rp 48.9K

839.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.44 ₡13.4K

$23.89 Rp 426.6K

23.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ₡26.3K

$23.84 Rp 425.7K

142.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.98 ₡10.9K

$5.06 Rp 90.3K

373.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 ₡4,438

$3.05 Rp 54.4K

220.00%

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

$567 ₡257.9K

$44.50 Rp 794.6K

1174.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$2,399 Rp 42.8M

426.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₡26.9K

$37.42 Rp 668.3K

57.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 ₡17.8K

$32.67 Rp 583.4K

19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ₡35.9K

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

17.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₡31.5K

$43.76 Rp 781.5K

58.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₡344.9K

$255 Rp 4.6M

196.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₡268.8K

$154 Rp 2.7M

284.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 ₡696.7K

$536 Rp 9.6M

185.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 ₡444.0K

$413 Rp 7.4M

136.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,187 Rp 21.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 Rp 10.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 Rp 3.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

7.83

29.89%

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

Last update for Guanacaste: June 1, 2026

Last update for Semarang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Guanacaste versus $255 in Semarang. 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 $12.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $190 – making Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guanacaste is pricier by about 120%, 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 $978 in Semarang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, 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 $652 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $567 per month in Guanacaste and $44.50 in Semarang. 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 Semarang, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Guanacaste at $1,434. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guanacaste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Semarang. 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.