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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,425 per month in Guanacaste vs $644 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,146 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,036 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,429 in Semarang, rent included.

Guanacaste costs about 121% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Guanacaste sits 7% above the global median, while Semarang is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ₡4,413

$1.79 Rp 31.9K

452.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.00 ₡19.2K

$12.50 Rp 223.6K

244.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 ₡4,508

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

177.47%

Cappuccino

$3.74 ₡1,668

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

156.16%

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

$2.07 ₡923

$0.48 Rp 8,664

331.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡711

$0.27 Rp 4,807

488.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ₡1,330

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,923

$2.89 Rp 51.6K

49.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡810

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

69.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,277

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

186.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡985

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

156.98%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,329

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

87.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,265

$6.13 Rp 109.6K

-17.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,723

$2.82 Rp 50.4K

36.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 ₡4,516

$8.48 Rp 151.7K

19.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ₡1,087

$2.60 Rp 46.4K

-6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡645

$1.60 Rp 28.5K

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 ₡1,813

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

108.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₡633

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

-9.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ₡1,506

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

173.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₡903

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

8.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₡368

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-5.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₡1,262

$0.40 Rp 7,236

607.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ₡1,801

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

76.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.12 ₡9,869

$13.53 Rp 242.0K

63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,120

$2.56 Rp 45.7K

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₡1,087

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-13.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡424

$0.26 Rp 4,689

265.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.96 Rp 231.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡824

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

112.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡797

$0.31 Rp 5,547

477.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 ₡3,552

$2.87 Rp 51.3K

177.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡653

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

82.50%

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

$37.8K ₡16.8M

$24.8K Rp 443.4M

52.34%

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

$33.2K ₡14.8M

$30.4K Rp 544.0M

9.03%

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

$93.3 ₡41.6K

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

0.63%

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

$26.11 ₡11.6K

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

849.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.87 ₡13.3K

$23.45 Rp 419.6K

27.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 ₡25.1K

$23.69 Rp 423.8K

137.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 ₡10.6K

$5.24 Rp 93.7K

354.77%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 ₡4,555

$3.05 Rp 54.5K

234.75%

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

$564 ₡251.4K

$44.58 Rp 797.5K

1164.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$2,388 Rp 42.7M

438.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 ₡27.0K

$36.26 Rp 648.7K

66.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 ₡18.0K

$32.31 Rp 578.0K

24.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 ₡35.6K

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 ₡31.2K

$43.45 Rp 777.3K

60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₡340.6K

$255 Rp 4.6M

199.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 ₡270.6K

$152 Rp 2.7M

298.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡674.4K

$544 Rp 9.7M

178.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡428.4K

$419 Rp 7.5M

129.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,179 Rp 21.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 Rp 3.4M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $763 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 $43.00 in Guanacaste versus $12.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $188 – 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 121%, 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 $966 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 $1,425 in Guanacaste and $644 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $564 per month in Guanacaste and $44.58 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 $644, than in Guanacaste at $1,425. 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.