Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Perez Zeledon: $1,328 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

64

Cost of Living Index in Perez Zeledon
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Perez Zeledon Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Perez Zeledon

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,328

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perez Zeledon and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,328 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Perez Zeledon $1,328
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Perez Zeledon versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Perez Zeledon $2,371
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,414 in Perez Zeledon versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Perez Zeledon $3,414
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Perez Zeledon costs roughly 51% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Perez Zeledon is 2% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.34 ₡4,188

$20.63 $20.63

-54.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 ₡16.4K

$84.6 $84.6

-56.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 ₡3,689

$12.07 $12.07

-31.81%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ₡1,210

$5.48 $5.48

-50.73%

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

$1.96 ₡880

$3.80 $3.80

-48.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₡766

$2.47 $2.47

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₡804

$8.05 $8.05

-77.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$8.88 $8.88

-65.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.11 $1.11

47.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 ₡1,357

$3.72 $3.72

-18.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 ₡1,109

$3.37 $3.37

-26.71%

Eggs

$2.48 ₡1,113

$4.32 $4.32

-42.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ₡4,763

$13.13 $13.13

-19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 ₡4,646

$14.15 $14.15

-26.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 ₡6,196

$16.33 $16.33

-15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 ₡2,238

$4.55 $4.55

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ₡483

$1.46 $1.46

-26.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.85 ₡2,174

$4.71 $4.71

2.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,777

$4.15 $4.15

-4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,730

$2.58 $2.58

49.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 ₡1,693

$2.35 $2.35

60.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ₡205

$1.77 $1.77

-74.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₡1,441

$2.14 $2.14

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 ₡2,582

$10.10 $10.10

-42.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.78 ₡8,870

$15.19 $15.19

30.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,240

$2.82 $2.82

-1.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₡1,572

$3.44 $3.44

1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ₡344

$1.54 $1.54

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.80 $2.80

-10.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.60 $1.60

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 ₡3,952

$34.34 $34.34

-74.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡689

$0.94 $0.94

63.83%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$34.0K $34.0K

-34.34%

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

$34.8K ₡15.6M

$26.8K $26.8K

29.88%

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

$92.9 ₡41.7K

$223 $223

-58.28%

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

$23.91 ₡10.7K

$58.9 $58.9

-59.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 ₡26.3K

$70.6 $70.6

-16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.4 ₡32.5K

$57.7 $57.7

25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₡3,346

$14.26 $14.26

-47.69%

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

$508 ₡227.7K

$1,511 $1,511

-66.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$20.9K $20.9K

-19.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 ₡32.7K

$51.3 $51.3

42.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 ₡25.5K

$44.17 $44.17

28.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡58.0K

$87.0 $87.0

48.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.1K

$104 $104

24.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ₡180.0K

$1,940 $1,940

-79.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₡149.4K

$1,316 $1,316

-74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 ₡851.1K

$3,664 $3,664

-48.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 ₡564.0K

$2,565 $2,565

-50.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: October 20, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Perez Zeledon

$382 28.8%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 6.2% $24

Accommodation & Living

Perez Zeledon

$333 25.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 295% $983

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perez Zeledon

$176 13.2%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 101% $177

Clothing & Footwear

Perez Zeledon

$175 13.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 26.2% $46

Eating Out

Perez Zeledon

$162 12.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 117% $189

Sport & Entertainment

Perez Zeledon

$87 6.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 1.3% $1.1

Getting Around

Perez Zeledon

$14 * 1%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 326% $44

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Perez Zeledon and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Perez Zeledon vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $406 per month, with Perez Zeledon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Perez Zeledon

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:41 4:41 PM

17:41 5:41 PM

1 h ahead of Perez Zeledon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

135,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Perez Zeledon Austin, TX 2,760 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Perez Zeledon
Austin, TX

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

Perez Zeledon vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perez Zeledon wins on cost – living expenses run 103% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Perez Zeledon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,992 in Perez Zeledon and $4,046 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $401 in Perez Zeledon versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $508 in Perez Zeledon versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Perez Zeledon – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,328 in Perez Zeledon versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Perez Zeledon but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Perez Zeledon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Perez Zeledon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.