Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaco Beach: $1,447 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Jaco Beach
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Jaco Beach Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Jaco Beach

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,447

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaco Beach and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jaco Beach and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Jaco Beach versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Jaco Beach $1,447
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Jaco Beach versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Jaco Beach $2,313
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,180 in Jaco Beach versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Jaco Beach $3,180
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Jaco Beach costs roughly 46% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Jaco Beach 7% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ₡5,278

$20.63 $20.63

-42.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.49 ₡19.5K

$84.6 $84.6

-48.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 ₡4,505

$12.07 $12.07

-16.74%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₡1,768

$5.48 $5.48

-28.10%

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

$2.38 ₡1,065

$3.80 $3.80

-37.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡833

$2.47 $2.47

-24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₡1,475

$8.05 $8.05

-59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 ₡1,943

$8.88 $8.88

-51.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₡853

$1.11 $1.11

71.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 ₡997

$3.72 $3.72

-40.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,092

$3.37 $3.37

-27.89%

Eggs

$2.61 ₡1,171

$4.32 $4.32

-39.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ₡4,764

$13.13 $13.13

-19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 ₡4,123

$14.15 $14.15

-35.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.90 ₡5,338

$16.33 $16.33

-27.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,278

$4.55 $4.55

11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₡742

$1.46 $1.46

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 ₡2,033

$4.71 $4.71

-3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 ₡1,590

$4.15 $4.15

-14.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.58 $2.58

-39.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ₡637

$2.35 $2.35

-39.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡454

$1.77 $1.77

-42.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₡894

$2.14 $2.14

-7.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 ₡2,598

$10.10 $10.10

-42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 ₡6,366

$15.19 $15.19

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₡1,188

$2.82 $2.82

-6.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₡1,012

$3.44 $3.44

-34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ₡1,087

$2.80 $2.80

-13.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.60 $1.60

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.91 ₡3,994

$34.34 $34.34

-74.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$0.94 $0.94

64.89%

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

$34.1K ₡15.3M

$34.0K $34.0K

0.46%

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

$41.6K ₡18.7M

$26.8K $26.8K

55.53%

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

$80.2 ₡36.0K

$223 $223

-63.97%

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

$24.70 ₡11.1K

$58.9 $58.9

-58.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.61 ₡20.9K

$70.6 $70.6

-33.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ₡23.9K

$57.7 $57.7

-7.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₡3,395

$14.26 $14.26

-46.91%

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

$492 ₡220.8K

$1,511 $1,511

-67.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,283 ₡3.3M

$20.9K $20.9K

-65.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.70 ₡11.1K

$51.3 $51.3

-51.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 ₡25.6K

$44.17 $44.17

29.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.8K

$87.0 $87.0

50.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.5K

$104 $104

27.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ₡343.4K

$1,940 $1,940

-60.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 ₡233.2K

$1,316 $1,316

-60.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 ₡891.0K

$3,664 $3,664

-45.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 ₡499.1K

$2,565 $2,565

-56.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$399 ₡178.8K

$5,286 $5,286

-92.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Jaco Beach: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Jaco Beach

$520 35.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 153% $796

Groceries & Markets

Jaco Beach

$328 22.7%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 23.8% $78

Eating Out

Jaco Beach

$214 14.8%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 63.9% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Jaco Beach

$156 10.8%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 17% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jaco Beach

$152 10.5%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 132% $201

Sport & Entertainment

Jaco Beach

$68 4.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 26.1% $18

Getting Around

Jaco Beach

$10 * 0.7%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 469% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $766 in Jaco Beach and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1226% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Jaco Beach vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $406 per month, with Jaco Beach cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Jaco Beach

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

14:28 2:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

1 h ahead of Jaco Beach

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Jaco Beach Austin, TX 2,670 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Jaco Beach
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Jaco Beach vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jaco Beach the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1226% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $766 in Jaco Beach versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $492 in Jaco Beach versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Jaco Beach versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jaco Beach delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,447 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jaco Beach hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.