Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Perez Zeledon Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Perez Zeledon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,747 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,333 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,752 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,374 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,758 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,415 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 31% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Coco sits 28% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 ₡8,044

$9.47 ₡4,210

91.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₡25.2K

$37.63 ₡16.7K

50.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 ₡4,891

$8.17 ₡3,630

34.64%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₡1,885

$2.63 ₡1,169

61.22%

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

$2.64 ₡1,175

$1.92 ₡851

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₡764

$1.74 ₡771

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ₡1,578

$1.73 ₡769

105.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 ₡2,764

$3.11 ₡1,380

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₡1,035

$1.59 ₡708

46.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ₡1,123

$3.16 ₡1,406

-19.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,114

$2.55 ₡1,133

-1.57%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,535

$2.55 ₡1,134

35.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,716

$10.72 ₡4,765

-1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,677

$10.61 ₡4,715

-0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 ₡7,221

$14.37 ₡6,389

13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 ₡2,062

$5.20 ₡2,312

-10.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₡804

$1.12 ₡499

61.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ₡1,407

$4.70 ₡2,089

-32.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,588

$4.04 ₡1,795

-11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₡1,451

$3.86 ₡1,714

-15.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,372

$3.76 ₡1,671

-17.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡425

$0.45 ₡200

113.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,039

$3.22 ₡1,430

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 ₡2,549

$5.78 ₡2,568

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 ₡7,301

$20.59 ₡9,151

-20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,190

$2.85 ₡1,266

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,180

$3.64 ₡1,619

-26.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ₡605

$0.76 ₡336

78.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ₡1,516

$2.51 ₡1,117

35.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡723

$1.56 ₡694

4.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.68 ₡4,304

$8.63 ₡3,836

12.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 ₡879

$1.54 ₡685

28.57%

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

$21.1K ₡9.4M

$21.7K ₡9.6M

-2.76%

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

$32.6K ₡14.5M

$35.2K ₡15.6M

-7.35%

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

$95.2 ₡42.3K

$95.8 ₡42.6K

-0.62%

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

$30.38 ₡13.5K

$24.16 ₡10.7K

25.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.5K

$61.9 ₡27.5K

-3.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 ₡33.0K

$72.9 ₡32.4K

2.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 ₡3,792

$8.11 ₡3,606

5.18%

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

$813 ₡361.3K

$490 ₡217.8K

65.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 ₡35.0K

$71.5 ₡31.8K

10.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 ₡25.5K

$55.4 ₡24.6K

3.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡52.9K

$133 ₡58.9K

-10.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ₡62.3K

$133 ₡59.2K

5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ₡318.1K

$402 ₡178.7K

77.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₡275.1K

$330 ₡146.7K

87.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 ₡949.3K

$2,142 ₡952.2K

-0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡519.1K

$1,295 ₡575.5K

-9.80%

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 Perez Zeledon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Playa del Coco versus $402 in Perez Zeledon. 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 $38.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries tell a different story – $370 in Playa del Coco vs $390 in Perez Zeledon – so Playa del Coco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Coco is pricier by about 31%, 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 $2,000 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, 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 $1,333 in Perez Zeledon. 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 $490 in Perez Zeledon. 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 Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,333, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – 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 Perez Zeledon. 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.