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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $810 per month in Mandeville vs $1,553 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,410 per month in Mandeville vs $2,430 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,011 per month in Mandeville vs $3,307 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Mandeville is about 48% cheaper than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mandeville sits 41% below the global median, while Guanacaste is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.21 JMD 975

$11.01 ₡4,925

-43.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 JMD 11.6K

$48.88 ₡21.9K

50.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$11.81 ₡5,286

-24.30%

Cappuccino

$2.20 JMD 345

$4.34 ₡1,944

-49.31%

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

$1.08 JMD 170

$2.59 ₡1,157

-58.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 116

$1.96 ₡877

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 JMD 338

$3.05 ₡1,366

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 457

$4.43 ₡1,981

-34.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.12 JMD 648

$2.07 ₡928

99.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 JMD 293

$3.07 ₡1,376

-39.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 251

$2.54 ₡1,136

-37.01%

Eggs

$3.62 JMD 569

$3.65 ₡1,635

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 JMD 1,775

$5.45 ₡2,439

107.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,020

$4.54 ₡2,033

43.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 JMD 1,623

$11.24 ₡5,030

-8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 JMD 982

$2.73 ₡1,220

128.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 607

$1.66 ₡745

132.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.40 JMD 1,163

$4.57 ₡2,043

61.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 493

$1.58 ₡707

98.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 JMD 512

$3.97 ₡1,776

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 JMD 422

$2.17 ₡972

23.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 489

$0.93 ₡418

234.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$3.27 ₡1,465

-53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 JMD 1,276

$4.54 ₡2,032

79.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 JMD 1,783

$20.10 ₡8,995

-43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 448

$2.81 ₡1,259

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 JMD 646

$2.75 ₡1,229

49.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡589

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 JMD 187

$2.54 ₡1,137

-53.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 491

$1.58 ₡707

98.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 977

$8.56 ₡3,830

-27.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.49 ₡668

-9.40%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$22.1K ₡9.9M

96.30%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$35.1K ₡15.7M

-5.25%

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

$94.0 JMD 14.8K

$95.1 ₡42.6K

-1.18%

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

$21.95 JMD 3,448

$37.45 ₡16.8K

-41.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,964

$33.99 ₡15.2K

49.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 ₡33.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.94 JMD 1,719

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,047

$8.23 ₡3,684

58.32%

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

$369 JMD 58.0K

$985 ₡440.7K

-62.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,155 JMD 1.3M

$17.3K ₡7.8M

-52.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.13 JMD 3,791

$66.0 ₡29.5K

-63.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 JMD 4,952

$44.89 ₡20.1K

-29.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$88.2 ₡39.5K

-12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.3K

$79.0 ₡35.3K

31.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 JMD 73.3K

$802 ₡358.8K

-41.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 ₡852.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 ₡566.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,779 JMD 279.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

8.78

7.63%

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

Last update for Mandeville: September 7, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Mandeville versus $802 in Guanacaste. 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 $74.0 in Mandeville versus $49.00 in Guanacaste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $318 – 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

Mandeville vs Guanacaste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guanacaste is pricier by about 92%, 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 $1,214 per month in Mandeville and $2,329 in Guanacaste. 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 $810 in Mandeville and $1,553 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $369 per month in Mandeville and $985 in Guanacaste. 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 $810, than in Guanacaste at $1,553. 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.