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 $1,425 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,279 per month in Mandeville vs $2,146 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,794 per month in Mandeville vs $2,867 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Mandeville is about 46% 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

$6.17 JMD 972

$9.89 ₡4,413

-37.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 JMD 9,920

$43.00 ₡19.2K

46.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 JMD 1,361

$10.10 ₡4,508

-14.55%

Cappuccino

$2.16 JMD 340

$3.74 ₡1,668

-42.25%

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

$0.99 JMD 156

$2.07 ₡923

-52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 113

$1.59 ₡711

-54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 JMD 348

$2.98 ₡1,330

-25.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 440

$4.31 ₡1,923

-35.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.30 JMD 677

$1.81 ₡810

137.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 JMD 339

$2.86 ₡1,277

-24.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 254

$2.21 ₡985

-27.15%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 547

$2.98 ₡1,329

16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 JMD 1,769

$5.08 ₡2,265

120.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,019

$3.86 ₡1,723

67.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 JMD 1,234

$10.12 ₡4,516

-22.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 JMD 946

$2.44 ₡1,087

145.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 489

$1.45 ₡645

113.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 653

$4.06 ₡1,813

1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

$1.42 ₡633

104.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 JMD 328

$3.37 ₡1,506

-38.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$2.02 ₡903

0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 471

$0.82 ₡368

264.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$2.83 ₡1,262

-47.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 JMD 1,301

$4.04 ₡1,801

104.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 JMD 1,762

$22.12 ₡9,869

-49.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 JMD 436

$2.51 ₡1,120

9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 487

$2.44 ₡1,087

26.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡424

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$1.85 ₡824

-39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 506

$1.79 ₡797

79.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 JMD 962

$7.96 ₡3,552

-23.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 195

$1.46 ₡653

-15.75%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$37.8K ₡16.8M

12.87%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$33.2K ₡14.8M

1.84%

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

$92.9 JMD 14.6K

$93.3 ₡41.6K

-0.47%

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

$22.15 JMD 3,491

$26.11 ₡11.6K

-15.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 JMD 7,933

$29.87 ₡13.3K

68.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 ₡25.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.77 JMD 1,698

$23.83 ₡10.6K

-54.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,082

$10.21 ₡4,555

29.38%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$564 ₡251.4K

-59.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.0K

$12.8K ₡5.7M

-80.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.32 JMD 4,147

$60.5 ₡27.0K

-56.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,100

$40.37 ₡18.0K

-35.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

$79.7 ₡35.6K

-10.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

$69.9 ₡31.2K

9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.9K

$763 ₡340.6K

-39.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 ₡270.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₡674.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡428.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,768 JMD 278.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.3K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Mandeville versus $763 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 $63.0 in Mandeville versus $43.00 in Guanacaste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $290 – 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 86%, 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 $2,137 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 $1,425 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Mandeville and $564 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 $1,425. 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.