Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montserrat and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

For one person, living is cheaper in Montserrat: $926 a month against $1,821 in Costa Rica, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Costa Rica
Learn more

Costa Rica Living Index

Jump to prices

🇲🇸 Montserrat

$926

/mo nomad

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montserrat and in Costa Rica

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

A single person spends $926 per month in Montserrat vs $1,821 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Montserrat $926
Costa Rica $1,821

A couple spends around $2,169 per month in Montserrat vs $2,773 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Montserrat $2,169
Costa Rica $2,773

A family of three spends $3,412 per month in Montserrat vs $3,725 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Montserrat $3,412
Costa Rica $3,725

The regional cost range is wider in Costa Rica ($1,004–$2,114) than in Montserrat ($923–$923), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Montserrat is roughly 49% lower than in Costa Rica on average.

Montserrat sits 32% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.83 EC$50.8

$11.26 ₡5,065

67.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.48 EC$131

$54.5 ₡24.5K

-11.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 EC$32.97

$11.02 ₡4,956

10.80%

Cappuccino

$7.28 EC$19.65

$4.43 ₡1,991

64.33%

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

$2.85 EC$7.70

$2.34 ₡1,051

21.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 EC$4.10

$1.84 ₡825

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 EC$7.85

$3.26 ₡1,467

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 EC$11.70

$4.55 ₡2,046

-4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.44 EC$9.27

$2.45 ₡1,101

40.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 EC$8.08

$3.56 ₡1,602

-16.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 ₡1,240

Eggs

$7.23 EC$19.52

$3.97 ₡1,787

82.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 EC$15.90

$10.47 ₡4,710

-43.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 EC$25.63

$9.98 ₡4,490

-4.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.96 EC$62.0

$13.91 ₡6,254

65.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 EC$8.96

$5.06 ₡2,274

-34.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ₡761

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,552

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 EC$12.26

$3.23 ₡1,454

40.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,549

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 EC$6.14

$3.25 ₡1,460

-29.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.03 EC$13.58

$1.09 ₡490

361.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,199

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ₡2,418

Wine (Bottle)

$22.02 EC$59.5

$15.50 ₡6,969

42.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,237

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 EC$11.85

$3.30 ₡1,483

33.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 EC$5.09

$1.13 ₡507

67.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡975

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.66 EC$12.59

$2.02 ₡909

130.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 EC$5.04

$8.94 ₡4,020

-79.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ₡723

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

$22.2K EC$59.8K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-35.76%

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

$15.1K EC$40.8K

$37.4K ₡16.8M

-59.58%

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

$90.9 EC$245

$94.9 ₡42.7K

-4.30%

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

$41.11 EC$111

$31.42 ₡14.1K

30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.51 EC$131

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 EC$150

$65.7 ₡29.5K

-15.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.20 ₡9,981

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 ₡3,642

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

$722 ₡324.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₡5.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 ₡33.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 ₡25.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡48.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡431.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 ₡318.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 EC$3,489

$1,749 ₡786.3K

-26.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 EC$3,563

$1,215 ₡546.4K

8.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ₡1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,839 ₡826.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,604 EC$4,331

$1,058 ₡476.0K

51.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

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

Last update for Montserrat: October 25, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$708 38.9%

Groceries & Markets

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$380 20.9%

Eating Out

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$218 12%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$185 10.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$166 9.1%

Getting Around

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$82 4.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Montserrat

–

Costa Rica

$82 4.5%

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,320 in Montserrat vs $1,087 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 15% more in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 21% higher in Montserrat, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Montserrat.

Good to know

🇲🇸 Montserrat

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

🕒 Local time

02:01 2:01 AM

00:01 12:01 AM

2 h behind Montserrat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,440

5,044,197

💱 Currency

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.33 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to XCD – East Caribbean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 East Caribbean Dollar ($)

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.33 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to XCD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Montserrat Costa Rica 2,480 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Montserrat
Costa Rica

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

Montserrat vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montserrat is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 49% lower on average.

Not necessarily. Overall, Costa Rica costs about 97% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in Costa Rica. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.

Montserrat is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.