Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Jaco Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Jaco Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,767 in Playa del Coco versus $1,318 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,726 in Playa del Coco versus $2,123 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,686 in Playa del Coco versus $2,928 in Jaco Beach.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 34% more expensive than Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Coco is 31% above, Jaco Beach is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 ₡7,314

$6.98 ₡3,189

129.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 ₡36.9K

$39.46 ₡18.0K

104.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.24 ₡4,680

$9.11 ₡4,162

12.40%

Cappuccino

$6.81 ₡3,109

$3.95 ₡1,806

72.41%

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

$2.48 ₡1,131

$1.53 ₡701

62.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡849

$0.92 ₡422

102.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 ₡1,459

$2.95 ₡1,345

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 ₡2,722

$2.90 ₡1,324

105.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 ₡1,148

$1.39 ₡635

80.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 ₡1,279

$2.01 ₡917

39.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₡992

$2.15 ₡983

0.93%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,360

$2.42 ₡1,108

23.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 ₡3,797

$9.68 ₡4,421

-14.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.80 ₡5,846

$8.36 ₡3,819

53.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,317

$11.10 ₡5,072

24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,099

$4.61 ₡2,108

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡682

$1.52 ₡696

-1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 ₡1,912

$4.12 ₡1,884

1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₡729

$3.15 ₡1,437

-49.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ₡1,533

$1.38 ₡632

143.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₡1,396

$1.33 ₡610

130.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡472

$0.89 ₡408

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,305

$1.78 ₡812

60.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.86 ₡2,219

$5.15 ₡2,353

-5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 ₡7,657

$13.93 ₡6,365

20.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₡1,003

$2.42 ₡1,106

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₡1,162

$1.97 ₡901

28.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 ₡539

$1.00 ₡458

18.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₡1,366

$1.88 ₡857

59.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡816

$1.81 ₡827

-1.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.12 ₡3,710

$7.96 ₡3,637

2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ₡841

$1.47 ₡673

25.17%

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

$37.8K ₡17.3M

$37.9K ₡17.3M

-0.34%

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

$33.0K ₡15.1M

$31.9K ₡14.6M

3.46%

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

$172 ₡78.5K

$71.0 ₡32.4K

142.15%

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

$25.98 ₡11.9K

$22.01 ₡10.1K

18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 ₡27.2K

$42.16 ₡19.3K

40.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.4K

$47.47 ₡21.7K

21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.89 ₡10.9K

$24.05 ₡11.0K

-0.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 ₡4,413

$10.00 ₡4,567

-3.40%

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

$522 ₡238.5K

$444 ₡202.7K

17.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$6,662 ₡3.0M

90.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ₡28.5K

$61.4 ₡28.0K

1.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 ₡23.3K

$50.5 ₡23.1K

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.7K

$125 ₡57.1K

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.8K

$109 ₡49.6K

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₡355.9K

$547 ₡249.8K

42.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ₡267.4K

$494 ₡225.6K

18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ₡688.2K

$1,893 ₡864.7K

-20.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₡432.1K

$1,041 ₡475.4K

-9.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡147.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$764 ₡348.9K

$397 ₡181.3K

92.50%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $779 in Playa del Coco and $547 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 93% 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 in Playa del Coco vs $39 in Jaco Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $297 per month, with Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Coco pays 93% 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: $779 in Playa del Coco versus $547 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $522 in Playa del Coco versus $444 in Jaco Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $81.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,767 in Playa del Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Playa del Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.