Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ojochal and Playa del Coco

For one person, living costs are similar in Ojochal and in Playa del Coco: $1,687 and $1,733 a month, rent and utilities included.

Ojochal
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,687
/mo nomad
Playa del Coco
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,733
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ojochal and in Playa del Coco

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

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Ojochal vs $1,733 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

  • Ojochal $1,687
  • Playa del Coco $1,733

A couple spends around $2,675 per month in Ojochal vs $2,750 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

  • Ojochal $2,675
  • Playa del Coco $2,750

A family of three spends $3,664 per month in Ojochal vs $3,767 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

  • Ojochal $3,664
  • Playa del Coco $3,767

Ojochal is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Coco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ojochal and Playa del Coco sit above the global median – Ojochal by 25%, Playa del Coco by 28%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.90 ₡5,338
$18.40 ₡8,254
-35.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.3 ₡25.7K
$58.5 ₡26.3K
-2.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.51 ₡5,161
$11.68 ₡5,238
-1.46%
Cappuccino
$4.16 ₡1,865
$4.34 ₡1,945
-4.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ₡1,186
$2.53 ₡1,133
4.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 ₡839
$1.62 ₡724
15.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.36 ₡1,505
$3.57 ₡1,603
-5.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 ₡1,963
$5.96 ₡2,673
-26.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.34 ₡1,051
$2.38 ₡1,069
-1.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 ₡1,247
$2.83 ₡1,269
-1.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.50 ₡1,123
$2.50 ₡1,120
-
Eggs
$3.40 ₡1,527
$3.53 ₡1,584
-3.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.83 ₡4,856
$10.85 ₡4,867
-0.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.61 ₡4,758
$10.38 ₡4,657
2.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.86 ₡6,217
$14.27 ₡6,399
-2.87%
Apples (1kg)
$5.22 ₡2,339
$5.05 ₡2,265
3.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ₡732
$1.64 ₡737
-0.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 ₡1,467
$3.31 ₡1,482
-1.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.45 ₡1,546
$3.51 ₡1,573
-1.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.99 ₡1,339
$3.04 ₡1,361
-1.64%
Onion (1kg)
$3.05 ₡1,370
$3.06 ₡1,373
-0.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ₡503
$1.11 ₡499
0.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 ₡1,197
$2.70 ₡1,210
-1.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 ₡2,508
$5.69 ₡2,552
-1.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.23 ₡7,281
$16.50 ₡7,399
-1.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 ₡1,150
$2.63 ₡1,180
-2.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₡1,209
$2.73 ₡1,223
-1.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ₡604
$1.29 ₡580
4.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ₡1,085
$2.38 ₡1,068
1.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 ₡733
$1.58 ₡708
3.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.74 ₡3,921
$8.52 ₡3,822
2.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₡673
$1.51 ₡679
-0.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$22.4K ₡10.1M
-3.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K ₡15.9M
$34.3K ₡15.4M
3.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡42.7K
$95.2 ₡42.7K
0.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.51 ₡13.2K
$29.51 ₡13.2K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.4 ₡26.6K
$60.0 ₡26.9K
-0.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.2 ₡32.4K
$72.6 ₡32.5K
-0.54%
Cinema Ticket
$7.74 ₡3,470
$7.74 ₡3,471
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$851 ₡381.6K
$850 ₡381.0K
0.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K ₡7.6M
$17.2K ₡7.7M
-1.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.6 ₡32.5K
$70.5 ₡31.6K
2.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0 ₡25.1K
$55.9 ₡25.1K
0.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$129 ₡57.9K
$127 ₡56.9K
1.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 ₡59.2K
$130 ₡58.1K
1.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$812 ₡364.3K
$812 ₡364.0K
0.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$631 ₡282.8K
$618 ₡277.4K
1.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,880 ₡843.1K
$1,902 ₡853.0K
-1.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 ₡572.5K
$1,247 ₡559.5K
2.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$332 ₡148.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ojochal
Playa del Coco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$756 ₡339.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
8.62
-

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

Last update for Ojochal: October 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ojochal
$631
Playa del Coco
$618 1.9% $12
Groceries & Markets
Ojochal
$370
Playa del Coco
$373 0.7% $2.6
Eating Out
Ojochal
$223
Playa del Coco
$281 25.7% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ojochal
$184
Playa del Coco
$185 0.3% $0.5
Clothing & Footwear
Ojochal
$175
Playa del Coco
$172 1.8% $3.1
Sport & Entertainment
Ojochal
$88
Playa del Coco
$88 0.5% $0.4
Getting Around
Ojochal
$16 *
Playa del Coco
$15 * 3.4% $0.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Ojochal versus $812 in Playa del Coco. 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 $57.0 in Ojochal versus $59.0 in Playa del Coco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $373 – making Ojochal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Ojochal
🇨🇷 Playa del Coco
🕒 Local time
10:22 10:22 AM
10:22 10:22 AM
Same time as Ojochal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,540
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ojochal Playa del Coco 120 km
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Ojochal vs Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ojochal and in Playa del Coco compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,687 in Ojochal, $1,733 in Playa del Coco – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Ojochal compared to Playa del Coco?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,531 per month in Ojochal and $2,599 in Playa del Coco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ojochal and Playa del Coco?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ojochal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ojochal or Playa del Coco?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Ojochal and $1,733 in Playa del Coco. That's a gap of about 3%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ojochal and Playa del Coco?
Kindergarten costs $851 per month in Ojochal and $850 in Playa del Coco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Ojochal, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Playa del Coco at $1,733. In Ojochal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Ojochal or Playa del Coco?
Families tend to lean toward Ojochal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Ojochal or Playa del Coco safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ojochal and Playa del Coco?
If budget matters most, go with Ojochal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Coco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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