Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Alajuela Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Alajuela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,738 in Playa del Coco versus $1,587 in Alajuela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,678 in Playa del Coco versus $2,357 in Alajuela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,617 in Playa del Coco versus $3,126 in Alajuela.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 10% more expensive than Alajuela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Playa del Coco 30% above, Alajuela 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.15 ₡7,356

$9.71 ₡4,421

66.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 ₡35.6K

$39.07 ₡17.8K

100.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 ₡4,582

$9.48 ₡4,317

6.12%

Cappuccino

$6.97 ₡3,176

$3.70 ₡1,687

88.38%

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

$2.35 ₡1,071

$2.07 ₡943

13.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₡840

$1.29 ₡586

43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ₡1,434

$2.16 ₡982

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 ₡2,709

$3.61 ₡1,644

64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 ₡1,166

$1.95 ₡887

31.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.47 ₡1,126

17.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ₡1,014

$2.16 ₡983

3.24%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,316

$2.21 ₡1,008

30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 ₡3,879

$9.86 ₡4,491

-13.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 ₡5,929

$9.01 ₡4,101

44.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,261

$13.87 ₡6,314

-0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₡2,082

$4.05 ₡1,842

12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡661

$1.46 ₡663

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₡1,921

$4.34 ₡1,975

-2.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₡725

$2.74 ₡1,247

-41.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 ₡1,513

$2.80 ₡1,275

18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₡1,344

$2.56 ₡1,165

15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡472

$1.03 ₡469

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,337

$2.62 ₡1,192

12.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 ₡2,248

$5.11 ₡2,328

-3.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.80 ₡7,649

$21.93 ₡9,988

-23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡962

$2.17 ₡990

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,189

$2.56 ₡1,164

1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₡532

$0.86 ₡393

36.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 ₡50.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 ₡1,345

$1.43 ₡653

106.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡838

$1.32 ₡599

39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 ₡3,524

$7.79 ₡3,548

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡852

$1.39 ₡633

34.53%

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

$38.4K ₡17.5M

$37.6K ₡17.1M

1.95%

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

$32.9K ₡15.0M

$33.0K ₡15.0M

-0.38%

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

$172 ₡78.5K

$44.35 ₡20.2K

288.50%

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

$25.56 ₡11.6K

$20.14 ₡9,171

26.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 ₡26.9K

$32.36 ₡14.7K

82.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ₡25.8K

$64.9 ₡29.5K

-12.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.61 ₡10.8K

$43.69 ₡19.9K

-45.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ₡4,631

$8.82 ₡4,017

15.31%

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

$521 ₡237.1K

$297 ₡135.5K

75.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$2,314 ₡1.1M

445.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ₡28.1K

$63.3 ₡28.8K

-2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 ₡23.4K

$50.5 ₡23.0K

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.7K

$118 ₡53.8K

5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.3K

$101 ₡46.1K

6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₡351.5K

$705 ₡320.9K

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡268.0K

$602 ₡273.9K

-2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 ₡686.8K

$987 ₡449.3K

52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 ₡433.0K

$950 ₡432.5K

0.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$324 ₡147.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 ₡344.9K

$2,091 ₡952.0K

-63.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: April 21, 2026

Last update for Alajuela: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $772 in Playa del Coco and $705 in Alajuela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alajuela pays 176% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78 in Playa del Coco vs $39 in Alajuela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $347 per month, with Alajuela cheaper across the board.

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

Playa del Coco vs Alajuela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alajuela is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Alajuela earns 176% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $772 in Playa del Coco versus $705 in Alajuela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Playa del Coco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,738 per month in Playa del Coco versus $1,587 in Alajuela – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,587 in Alajuela versus $1,738 in Playa del Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alajuela but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Alajuela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alajuela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Coco, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Alajuela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.