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: $1,731 in Playa del Coco versus $1,728 in Curridabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,773 in Playa del Coco versus $2,750 in Curridabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Playa del Coco versus $3,772 in Curridabat.

Monthly costs are close between Playa del Coco and Curridabat; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Playa del Coco 28% above, Curridabat 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 ₡8,244

$11.12 ₡4,971

65.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 ₡26.1K

$56.2 ₡25.1K

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 ₡5,189

$9.93 ₡4,440

16.82%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,926

$4.38 ₡1,959

-1.60%

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

$2.65 ₡1,186

$2.05 ₡918

29.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₡727

$1.41 ₡632

14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ₡1,555

$3.33 ₡1,489

4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 ₡2,723

$2.98 ₡1,333

104.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 ₡1,062

$2.47 ₡1,104

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,240

$3.13 ₡1,398

-11.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,143

$2.49 ₡1,112

2.81%

Eggs

$3.51 ₡1,569

$3.61 ₡1,614

-2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₡4,791

$10.85 ₡4,853

-1.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 ₡4,686

$10.69 ₡4,781

-1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 ₡6,423

$14.10 ₡6,305

1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,268

$5.35 ₡2,395

-5.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₡715

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,548

$4.82 ₡2,156

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,533

$4.00 ₡1,790

-14.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,393

$3.93 ₡1,759

-20.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,449

$3.78 ₡1,689

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡491

$1.10 ₡492

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,189

$3.18 ₡1,421

-16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,661

$5.96 ₡2,665

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 ₡7,476

$20.03 ₡8,957

-16.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,193

$2.86 ₡1,277

-6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₡1,177

$3.74 ₡1,671

-29.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡589

$1.30 ₡582

1.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ₡1,448

$2.50 ₡1,119

29.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡739

$1.67 ₡746

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ₡3,828

$8.84 ₡3,952

-3.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡915

$1.55 ₡691

32.26%

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

$21.7K ₡9.7M

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-3.17%

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

$35.6K ₡15.9M

$34.8K ₡15.6M

2.10%

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

$96.1 ₡43.0K

$95.9 ₡42.9K

0.24%

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

$30.75 ₡13.7K

$36.54 ₡16.3K

-15.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$62.1 ₡27.8K

-3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 ₡32.4K

$83.6 ₡37.4K

-13.28%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₡3,639

$8.43 ₡3,771

-3.44%

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

$843 ₡377.2K

$981 ₡438.5K

-13.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ₡7.7M

$17.0K ₡7.6M

2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ₡32.6K

$73.1 ₡32.7K

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$56.8 ₡25.4K

0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.4K

$131 ₡58.6K

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡59.0K

$132 ₡58.9K

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡357.8K

$819 ₡366.2K

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 ₡286.3K

$682 ₡304.9K

-6.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 ₡850.6K

$1,896 ₡847.8K

0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₡561.5K

$1,325 ₡592.5K

-5.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$335 ₡149.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$774 ₡346.2K

$496 ₡221.8K

56.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: September 20, 2026

Last update for Curridabat: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $800 in Playa del Coco and $819 in Curridabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 56% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $58.0 in Playa del Coco vs $56.0 in Curridabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $408, 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

Average pay runs 56% higher in Playa del Coco, 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: $800 in Playa del Coco versus $819 in Curridabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Curridabat – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $58.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $843 in Playa del Coco versus $981 in Curridabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,728 in Curridabat versus $1,731 in Playa del Coco, a $2,500 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.

It comes down to priorities – Curridabat wins on affordability, Playa del Coco on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.