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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,747 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,597 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,752 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,439 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,758 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,281 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 9% more than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Guanacaste sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 28%, Guanacaste by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 ₡8,044

$10.99 ₡4,886

64.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₡25.2K

$48.83 ₡21.7K

16.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 ₡4,891

$11.44 ₡5,084

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₡1,885

$4.47 ₡1,986

-5.15%

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

$2.64 ₡1,175

$2.60 ₡1,156

1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₡764

$1.88 ₡833

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ₡1,578

$3.15 ₡1,402

12.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 ₡2,764

$4.50 ₡1,999

38.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₡1,035

$2.04 ₡905

14.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ₡1,123

$3.05 ₡1,356

-17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,114

$2.55 ₡1,135

-1.57%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,535

$3.61 ₡1,603

-4.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,716

$5.41 ₡2,403

96.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,677

$4.49 ₡1,994

134.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 ₡7,221

$10.89 ₡4,840

49.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 ₡2,062

$2.72 ₡1,209

70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₡804

$1.68 ₡745

7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ₡1,407

$4.56 ₡2,028

-30.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,588

$1.58 ₡704

125.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₡1,451

$3.82 ₡1,699

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,372

$2.16 ₡962

43.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡425

$0.85 ₡379

12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,039

$3.18 ₡1,415

-26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 ₡2,549

$4.52 ₡2,009

26.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 ₡7,301

$20.34 ₡9,042

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,190

$2.81 ₡1,250

-4.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,180

$2.59 ₡1,152

2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ₡605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ₡1,516

$2.45 ₡1,088

39.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡723

$1.65 ₡732

-1.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.68 ₡4,304

$8.89 ₡3,950

8.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 ₡879

$1.55 ₡687

27.74%

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

$21.1K ₡9.4M

$22.3K ₡9.9M

-5.37%

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

$32.6K ₡14.5M

$34.9K ₡15.5M

-6.51%

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

$95.2 ₡42.3K

-0.06%

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

$30.38 ₡13.5K

$37.20 ₡16.5K

-18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.5K

$32.98 ₡14.7K

80.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 ₡33.0K

$74.6 ₡33.2K

-0.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 ₡3,792

$8.27 ₡3,675

3.14%

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

$813 ₡361.3K

$1,006 ₡447.2K

-19.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$17.2K ₡7.6M

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 ₡35.0K

$67.5 ₡30.0K

16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 ₡25.5K

$44.71 ₡19.9K

28.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡52.9K

$89.9 ₡39.9K

32.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ₡62.3K

$78.1 ₡34.7K

79.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ₡318.1K

$814 ₡361.9K

-12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₡275.1K

$646 ₡287.2K

-4.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 ₡949.3K

$1,844 ₡819.5K

15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡519.1K

$1,269 ₡564.1K

-7.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$330 ₡146.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 ₡346.2K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Playa del Coco versus $814 in Guanacaste. 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 $57.0 in Playa del Coco versus $49.00 in Guanacaste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $314 – making Guanacaste the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guanacaste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Coco is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,621 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,395 in Guanacaste. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guanacaste, 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 $1,747 in Playa del Coco and $1,597 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Playa del Coco and $1,006 in Guanacaste. 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 Guanacaste, where all-in costs run around $1,597, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. In Guanacaste it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Guanacaste. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Coco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.