Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Playa del Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,767 in Playa del Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Jaco Beach versus $2,726 in Playa del Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,928 in Jaco Beach versus $3,686 in Playa del Coco.

Living in Jaco Beach costs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jaco Beach is 2% below, Playa del Coco is 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 ₡3,189

$16.01 ₡7,314

-56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.46 ₡18.0K

$80.8 ₡36.9K

-51.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ₡4,162

$10.24 ₡4,680

-11.04%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,806

$6.81 ₡3,109

-42.00%

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

$1.53 ₡701

$2.48 ₡1,131

-38.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₡422

$1.86 ₡849

-50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,345

$3.19 ₡1,459

-7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,324

$5.96 ₡2,722

-51.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡635

$2.51 ₡1,148

-44.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ₡917

$2.80 ₡1,279

-28.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡983

$2.17 ₡992

-0.92%

Eggs

$2.42 ₡1,108

$2.98 ₡1,360

-18.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ₡4,421

$8.31 ₡3,797

16.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 ₡3,819

$12.80 ₡5,846

-34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ₡5,072

$13.83 ₡6,317

-19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 ₡2,108

$4.59 ₡2,099

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.49 ₡682

2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ₡1,884

$4.19 ₡1,912

-1.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 ₡1,437

$1.59 ₡729

98.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ₡632

$3.36 ₡1,533

-58.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₡610

$3.06 ₡1,396

-56.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₡408

$1.03 ₡472

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₡812

$2.86 ₡1,305

-37.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 ₡2,353

$4.86 ₡2,219

5.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 ₡6,365

$16.76 ₡7,657

-16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$2.20 ₡1,003

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡901

$2.54 ₡1,162

-22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₡458

$1.18 ₡539

-15.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡857

$2.99 ₡1,366

-37.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 ₡827

$1.79 ₡816

1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 ₡3,637

$8.12 ₡3,710

-1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡673

$1.84 ₡841

-20.11%

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

$37.9K ₡17.3M

$37.8K ₡17.3M

0.34%

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

$31.9K ₡14.6M

$33.0K ₡15.1M

-3.35%

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

$71.0 ₡32.4K

$172 ₡78.5K

-58.70%

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

$22.01 ₡10.1K

$25.98 ₡11.9K

-15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.16 ₡19.3K

$59.4 ₡27.2K

-29.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.47 ₡21.7K

$57.8 ₡26.4K

-17.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.05 ₡11.0K

$23.89 ₡10.9K

0.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 ₡4,567

$9.66 ₡4,413

3.52%

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

$444 ₡202.7K

$522 ₡238.5K

-15.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 ₡3.0M

$12.7K ₡5.8M

-47.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 ₡28.0K

$62.4 ₡28.5K

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 ₡23.1K

$51.0 ₡23.3K

-0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.1K

$124 ₡56.7K

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.6K

$107 ₡48.8K

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ₡249.8K

$779 ₡355.9K

-29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₡225.6K

$585 ₡267.4K

-15.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 ₡864.7K

$1,506 ₡688.2K

25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡475.4K

$946 ₡432.1K

10.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡147.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 ₡181.3K

$764 ₡348.9K

-48.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Jaco Beach: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Jaco Beach and $779 in Playa del Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 93% 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: $39 in Jaco Beach vs $81 in Playa del Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $365 per month, with Jaco Beach cheaper across the board.

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 Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Coco earns 93% less. 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: $547 in Jaco Beach versus $779 in Playa del Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $444 in Jaco Beach versus $522 in Playa del Coco. 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 $39.00 versus $81.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,767 in Playa del Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Coco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach and Playa del Coco 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 34% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.