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 $723 per month in Montserrat vs $1,543 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Montserrat vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,155 per month in Montserrat vs $3,105 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Montserrat is roughly 53% cheaper than Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Montserrat sits 46% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Montserrat has a wider regional cost range ($723–$723) than Costa Rica ($1,133–$2,084), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Montserrat.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 EC$49.29

$9.97 ₡4,535

83.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.03 EC$130

$59.4 ₡27.0K

-19.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 EC$20.46

$9.74 ₡4,432

-22.18%

Cappuccino

$6.41 EC$17.30

$3.94 ₡1,791

62.69%

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

$2.50 EC$6.75

$2.11 ₡959

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 EC$3.75

$1.65 ₡752

-15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 EC$7.11

$2.92 ₡1,327

-9.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 EC$11.88

$4.39 ₡1,996

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.35 EC$9.03

$2.07 ₡940

61.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 EC$8.15

$3.17 ₡1,441

-4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,098

Eggs

$6.98 EC$18.84

$3.34 ₡1,518

108.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 EC$16.46

$9.24 ₡4,202

-33.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 EC$25.12

$9.40 ₡4,276

-1.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.89 EC$64.5

$13.56 ₡6,169

76.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 EC$8.68

$4.48 ₡2,037

-28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡708

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,527

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 EC$12.24

$3.08 ₡1,401

47.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ₡1,316

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 EC$6.06

$2.86 ₡1,301

-21.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 EC$14.32

$1.03 ₡467

414.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,145

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,227

Wine (Bottle)

$22.32 EC$60.3

$16.18 ₡7,359

37.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,086

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 EC$11.77

$2.78 ₡1,264

56.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 EC$4.89

$0.94 ₡428

92.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.22 ₡22.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡848

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡916

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ₡3,461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ₡686

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

$22.3K EC$60.3K

$36.3K ₡16.5M

-38.53%

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

$16.4K EC$44.2K

$35.7K ₡16.2M

-54.14%

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

$88.7 ₡40.4K

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

$40.83 EC$110

$25.67 ₡11.7K

59.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 ₡24.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 EC$150

$57.7 ₡26.2K

-3.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 ₡13.2K

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 ₡4,095

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

$544 ₡247.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 ₡33.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ₡24.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡54.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡45.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ₡363.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₡243.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 EC$3,492

$1,509 ₡686.5K

-14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 EC$3,495

$1,041 ₡473.5K

24.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 ₡1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ₡728.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,543 EC$4,167

$1,062 ₡482.9K

45.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

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

Last update for Montserrat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,307 in Montserrat vs $1,098 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Salaries are 19% higher in Montserrat, giving Montserrat stronger purchasing power.

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 122% 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 122% 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.