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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,745 in Playa del Coco versus $1,572 in Curridabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,665 in Playa del Coco versus $2,429 in Curridabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,585 in Playa del Coco versus $3,287 in Curridabat.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 11% more expensive than Curridabat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Playa del Coco 30% above, Curridabat 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 ₡7,180

$10.85 ₡4,904

46.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 ₡36.6K

$59.8 ₡27.0K

35.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 ₡4,582

$8.97 ₡4,054

13.04%

Cappuccino

$6.98 ₡3,155

$3.67 ₡1,660

90.19%

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

$2.37 ₡1,072

$2.06 ₡930

15.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡849

$1.47 ₡665

27.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 ₡1,443

$2.90 ₡1,311

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 ₡2,702

$4.63 ₡2,094

29.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 ₡1,153

$2.04 ₡921

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,294

$2.87 ₡1,297

-0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡971

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,305

$3.01 ₡1,359

-3.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 ₡3,889

$9.81 ₡4,433

-12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 ₡5,938

$9.22 ₡4,166

42.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 ₡6,232

$13.77 ₡6,223

0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₡2,024

$4.57 ₡2,066

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡654

$1.46 ₡660

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 ₡1,912

$4.32 ₡1,951

-2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡748

$3.41 ₡1,539

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,512

$3.51 ₡1,584

-4.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,385

$3.19 ₡1,440

-3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡458

$0.95 ₡428

6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,307

$2.90 ₡1,311

-0.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 ₡2,201

$5.29 ₡2,390

-7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 ₡7,510

$21.81 ₡9,853

-23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₡939

$2.49 ₡1,123

-16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₡1,163

$2.85 ₡1,290

-9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 ₡522

$1.00 ₡452

15.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 ₡1,311

$1.81 ₡816

60.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡799

$1.85 ₡836

-4.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,555

$8.09 ₡3,657

-2.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 ₡865

$1.47 ₡663

29.93%

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

$37.4K ₡16.9M

$38.3K ₡17.3M

-2.27%

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

$32.9K ₡14.9M

$31.9K ₡14.4M

3.16%

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

$175 ₡79.2K

$92.5 ₡41.8K

89.40%

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

$25.51 ₡11.5K

$26.04 ₡11.8K

-2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ₡27.5K

$59.1 ₡26.7K

2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.3K

$57.1 ₡25.8K

-1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ₡10.8K

$23.79 ₡10.8K

0.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 ₡4,389

$10.01 ₡4,521

-3.00%

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

$521 ₡235.3K

$568 ₡256.6K

-8.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.0K

$61.6 ₡27.8K

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 ₡23.5K

$50.8 ₡22.9K

2.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.9K

$124 ₡56.0K

-0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.4K

$106 ₡48.0K

0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡340.5K

$762 ₡344.2K

-1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₡269.9K

$608 ₡274.7K

-1.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 ₡684.1K

$1,519 ₡686.3K

-0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₡429.1K

$963 ₡435.2K

-1.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 ₡149.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 ₡339.3K

$504 ₡227.6K

49.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Curridabat: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $754 in Playa del Coco and $762 in Curridabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Playa del Coco vs $60.0 in Curridabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $367 vs $370, with Playa del Coco cheaper for home cooking.

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 Curridabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curridabat is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Coco pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $754 in Playa del Coco versus $762 in Curridabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $521 in Playa del Coco versus $568 in Curridabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Curridabat – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $81.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,572 in Curridabat versus $1,745 in Playa del Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curridabat but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Curridabat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curridabat 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Coco and Curridabat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Curridabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.