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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Mandeville vs $1,434 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,284 per month in Mandeville vs $2,141 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,803 per month in Mandeville vs $2,849 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Mandeville is about 47% cheaper than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mandeville sits 43% below the global median, while Guanacaste is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 JMD 963

$9.77 ₡4,443

-37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 JMD 9,952

$44.08 ₡20.0K

44.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,401

$9.90 ₡4,504

-9.70%

Cappuccino

$2.14 JMD 336

$3.79 ₡1,723

-43.54%

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

$0.98 JMD 153

$2.01 ₡914

-51.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$1.67 ₡757

-54.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 352

$2.89 ₡1,315

-22.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 435

$4.14 ₡1,883

-33.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.23 JMD 663

$1.82 ₡829

132.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 JMD 326

$2.77 ₡1,261

-24.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 245

$2.18 ₡991

-27.98%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$3.02 ₡1,374

16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 JMD 1,757

$5.07 ₡2,304

121.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 JMD 991

$4.07 ₡1,852

55.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 JMD 1,190

$10.11 ₡4,596

-24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$6.08 JMD 952

$2.46 ₡1,118

147.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 469

$1.47 ₡668

103.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 JMD 650

$3.94 ₡1,790

5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 470

$1.42 ₡647

111.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 316

$3.40 ₡1,546

-40.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 310

$1.93 ₡878

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 465

$0.76 ₡346

290.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$2.91 ₡1,322

-48.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.34 JMD 1,306

$3.89 ₡1,770

114.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 JMD 1,819

$22.38 ₡10.2K

-48.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 456

$2.51 ₡1,140

15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 505

$2.45 ₡1,114

31.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡461

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 170

$1.79 ₡815

-39.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 JMD 484

$1.83 ₡833

68.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 959

$8.05 ₡3,660

-23.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 200

$1.46 ₡663

-12.33%

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

$43.0K JMD 6.7M

$37.6K ₡17.1M

14.45%

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

$33.5K JMD 5.2M

$32.3K ₡14.7M

3.78%

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

$93.0 JMD 14.6K

$92.7 ₡42.2K

0.36%

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

$21.59 JMD 3,383

$25.74 ₡11.7K

-16.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 JMD 7,874

$29.44 ₡13.4K

70.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ₡26.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 JMD 1,694

$23.98 ₡10.9K

-54.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 JMD 2,022

$9.76 ₡4,438

32.17%

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

$228 JMD 35.6K

$567 ₡257.9K

-59.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,457 JMD 384.9K

$12.6K ₡5.7M

-80.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 JMD 4,160

$59.1 ₡26.9K

-55.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 JMD 4,039

$39.12 ₡17.8K

-34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 JMD 11.1K

$78.8 ₡35.9K

-10.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$69.2 ₡31.5K

12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 JMD 73.6K

$758 ₡344.9K

-38.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₡268.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 ₡696.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 ₡444.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,799 JMD 281.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 JMD 80.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

10.17

-10.03%

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

Last update for Mandeville: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $470 in Mandeville versus $758 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 $64.0 in Mandeville versus $44.00 in Guanacaste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $291 – 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 88%, 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 $1,147 per month in Mandeville and $2,151 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 $765 in Mandeville and $1,434 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $228 per month in Mandeville and $567 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 $765, than in Guanacaste at $1,434. 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.