Cost of Living Comparison Between Montserrat and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Montserrat and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Montserrat vs $1,660 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,178 per month in Montserrat vs $2,621 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,437 per month in Montserrat vs $3,581 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Montserrat is roughly 45% lower than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Montserrat sits 33% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Montserrat ($919–$919) than in Costa Rica ($996–$2,154), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 EC$49.70

$10.89 ₡4,874

69.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.76 EC$132

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-12.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 EC$32.79

$10.81 ₡4,839

12.30%

Cappuccino

$7.17 EC$19.35

$4.52 ₡2,021

58.63%

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

$2.80 EC$7.55

$2.45 ₡1,095

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 EC$4.20

$1.89 ₡844

-17.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 EC$8.03

$3.30 ₡1,476

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 EC$11.89

$4.61 ₡2,064

-4.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.51 EC$9.48

$2.42 ₡1,085

45.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 EC$8.02

$3.60 ₡1,613

-17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 ₡1,207

Eggs

$7.05 EC$19.03

$4.01 ₡1,796

75.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 EC$16.14

$10.21 ₡4,568

-41.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 EC$24.27

$10.38 ₡4,647

-13.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.08 EC$62.3

$13.83 ₡6,190

66.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 EC$8.71

$5.08 ₡2,272

-36.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₡782

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₡1,575

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 EC$11.86

$3.23 ₡1,446

35.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,496

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 EC$5.93

$3.18 ₡1,422

-30.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.11 EC$13.81

$1.08 ₡483

373.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 ₡2,495

Wine (Bottle)

$22.41 EC$60.5

$15.23 ₡6,817

47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,196

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 EC$12.23

$3.33 ₡1,490

36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 EC$5.11

$1.09 ₡486

73.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 ₡29.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ₡983

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.62 EC$12.48

$1.94 ₡870

138.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 EC$5.07

$8.87 ₡3,969

-78.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ₡718

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

$22.1K EC$59.6K

$32.7K ₡14.6M

-32.37%

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

$15.1K EC$40.7K

$36.3K ₡16.3M

-58.50%

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

$93.9 EC$254

$95.2 ₡42.6K

-1.34%

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

$40.10 EC$108

$31.50 ₡14.1K

27.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.57 EC$128

$59.7 ₡26.7K

-20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 EC$152

$66.3 ₡29.7K

-15.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₡10.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.21 ₡3,676

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

$726 ₡324.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡47.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ₡395.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₡286.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 EC$3,444

$1,743 ₡779.9K

-26.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 EC$3,561

$1,168 ₡522.7K

12.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 ₡748.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,568 EC$4,233

$1,083 ₡484.5K

44.84%

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,276 in Montserrat vs $1,106 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 10% more in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 15% higher in Montserrat, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Montserrat.

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 71% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Montserrat, contributing to the overall 71% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Montserrat, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

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