Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Castello de la Plana Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Castello de la Plana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,171 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,524 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,927 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $2,185 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,683 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $2,847 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

Perez Zeledon is about 23% cheaper than Castello de la Plana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Perez Zeledon sits 13% below the global median, while Castello de la Plana is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 ₡3,082

$15.26 €13.06

-55.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.34 ₡17.9K

$58.4 €50.0

-32.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 ₡4,539

$8.33 €7.13

19.81%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₡1,729

$2.51 €2.15

51.39%

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

$1.45 ₡661

$2.24 €1.92

-35.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡725

$1.77 €1.52

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₡1,325

$2.94 €2.52

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 ₡2,154

$3.44 €2.94

37.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡886

$1.16 €0.99

68.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,254

$2.07 €1.77

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡973

$1.92 €1.64

11.46%

Eggs

$2.53 ₡1,148

$2.97 €2.54

-14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 ₡3,725

$15.02 €12.86

-45.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 ₡4,099

$8.60 €7.36

4.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 ₡6,144

$15.54 €13.30

-13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 ₡2,053

$2.50 €2.14

80.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₡470

$1.72 €1.47

-40.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 ₡1,909

$1.66 €1.42

153.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,553

$2.49 €2.13

37.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 ₡1,294

$1.87 €1.60

52.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₡1,273

$1.79 €1.54

56.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 ₡174

$1.47 €1.26

-74.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,337

$0.60 €0.51

390.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₡2,317

$7.07 €6.05

-28.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.95 ₡9,981

$5.16 €4.42

325.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₡977

$1.05 €0.90

104.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₡691

$2.32 €1.98

-34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₡334

$1.42 €1.22

-47.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.68 €15.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡841

$4.55 €3.90

-59.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡819

$1.00 €0.86

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,684

$15.03 €12.86

-46.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡635

$1.74 €1.49

-19.54%

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

$38.2K ₡17.3M

$38.7K €33.1K

-1.31%

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

$33.2K ₡15.1M

$32.3K €27.6K

2.84%

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

$93.5 ₡42.5K

$135 €115

-30.60%

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

$21.44 ₡9,750

$19.62 €16.80

9.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 ₡26.9K

$27.25 €23.33

116.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.20 ₡13.7K

$45.69 €39.11

-33.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.49 ₡10.7K

$15.29 €13.09

53.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 ₡4,413

$8.24 €7.05

17.72%

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

$500 ₡227.3K

$588 €504

-15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₡5.9M

$7,999 €6,847

61.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 ₡28.9K

$64.3 €55.0

-1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ₡23.1K

$21.67 €18.55

134.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.8K

$103 €88.0

21.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.0K

$117 €100

-7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₡153.0K

$736 €630

-54.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₡119.8K

$606 €519

-56.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 ₡699.1K

$1,007 €862

52.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₡287.3K

$792 €678

-20.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 €1,611

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 €1,251

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,869 €1,600

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

181.25%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: April 27, 2026

Last update for Castello de la Plana: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $336 in Perez Zeledon versus $736 in Castello de la Plana. 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 $39.00 in Perez Zeledon versus $58.0 in Castello de la Plana. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Perez Zeledon vs $271 in Castello de la Plana – so Castello de la Plana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Castello de la Plana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,171 in Perez Zeledon, $1,524 in Castello de la Plana – roughly 30% apart. Castello de la Plana costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in Perez Zeledon and $2,286 in Castello de la Plana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,171 in Perez Zeledon and $1,524 in Castello de la Plana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $500 per month in Perez Zeledon and $588 in Castello de la Plana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Castello de la Plana at $1,524. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castello de la Plana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Perez Zeledon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castello de la Plana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.