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: $1,780 in Playa del Coco versus $1,344 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Playa del Coco versus $2,155 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,683 in Playa del Coco versus $2,967 in Jaco Beach.

Living in Playa del Coco is roughly 32% more expensive than in Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Playa del Coco 33% above, Jaco Beach 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.10 ₡7,262

$7.19 ₡3,242

123.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 ₡36.4K

$40.16 ₡18.1K

101.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 ₡4,572

$8.88 ₡4,006

14.19%

Cappuccino

$7.02 ₡3,168

$3.86 ₡1,740

81.87%

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

$2.45 ₡1,106

$1.58 ₡711

55.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₡844

$0.99 ₡449

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ₡1,420

$2.93 ₡1,322

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 ₡2,702

$2.89 ₡1,304

107.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 ₡1,130

$1.39 ₡628

80.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 ₡1,242

$1.98 ₡894

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₡1,001

$2.15 ₡971

3.26%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,313

$2.43 ₡1,095

19.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,738

$10.04 ₡4,527

-17.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.11 ₡5,914

$8.30 ₡3,745

57.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 ₡6,174

$10.76 ₡4,853

27.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 ₡2,010

$4.56 ₡2,057

-2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡659

$1.44 ₡648

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 ₡1,951

$4.29 ₡1,936

0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₡734

$3.11 ₡1,404

-47.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,534

$1.35 ₡608

151.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₡1,339

$1.35 ₡608

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡467

$0.91 ₡411

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,282

$1.74 ₡783

63.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 ₡2,202

$5.33 ₡2,406

-8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ₡8,387

$14.16 ₡6,387

31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡952

$2.34 ₡1,054

-9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₡1,183

$1.94 ₡877

35.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₡529

$1.01 ₡457

15.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₡1,318

$1.86 ₡839

56.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡839

$1.79 ₡806

3.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ₡3,512

$7.70 ₡3,474

1.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ₡833

$1.41 ₡638

31.21%

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

$37.0K ₡16.7M

$37.6K ₡17.0M

-1.53%

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

$32.5K ₡14.7M

$32.8K ₡14.8M

-0.86%

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

$172 ₡77.5K

$72.8 ₡32.8K

136.15%

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

$25.97 ₡11.7K

$21.44 ₡9,672

21.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 ₡26.5K

$43.10 ₡19.4K

36.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.0K

$47.12 ₡21.3K

22.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.94 ₡10.8K

$23.97 ₡10.8K

-0.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ₡4,545

$9.68 ₡4,364

4.13%

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

$534 ₡240.9K

$446 ₡201.0K

19.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$6,679 ₡3.0M

87.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ₡28.1K

$62.6 ₡28.2K

-0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 ₡23.6K

$50.6 ₡22.8K

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.9K

$127 ₡57.3K

1.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.0K

$107 ₡48.2K

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 ₡349.6K

$551 ₡248.7K

40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ₡264.0K

$503 ₡227.0K

16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 ₡694.0K

$1,859 ₡838.6K

-17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 ₡439.5K

$1,018 ₡459.0K

-4.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$326 ₡146.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 ₡350.5K

$396 ₡178.4K

96.46%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $775 in Playa del Coco and $551 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Coco pays 96% 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 $40.00 in Jaco Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $295 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 96% 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: $775 in Playa del Coco versus $551 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $534 in Playa del Coco versus $446 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 $40.00 versus $81.0 in Playa del Coco. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,344 in Jaco Beach versus $1,780 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 32% less than in Playa del Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.