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 $1,767 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,171 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,927 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,683 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 51% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Coco sits 32% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,099

$6.78 ₡3,082

130.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.6K

$39.34 ₡17.9K

99.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,549

$9.98 ₡4,539

0.20%

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,229

$3.80 ₡1,729

86.84%

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

$2.44 ₡1,110

$1.45 ₡661

68.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡837

$1.59 ₡725

15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,505

$2.91 ₡1,325

13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,731

$4.74 ₡2,154

26.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,136

$1.95 ₡886

28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,306

$2.76 ₡1,254

3.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,003

$2.14 ₡973

3.27%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.53 ₡1,148

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,770

$8.19 ₡3,725

1.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,791

$9.01 ₡4,099

41.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,132

$13.51 ₡6,144

-0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,069

$4.52 ₡2,053

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$1.03 ₡470

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,881

$4.20 ₡1,909

-1.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡753

$3.42 ₡1,553

-51.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,554

$2.85 ₡1,294

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,373

$2.80 ₡1,273

7.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡463

$0.38 ₡174

168.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,320

$2.94 ₡1,337

-1.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,230

$5.09 ₡2,317

-3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,593

$21.95 ₡9,981

-23.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡957

$2.15 ₡977

-1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,150

$1.52 ₡691

66.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡555

$0.74 ₡334

64.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,323

$1.85 ₡841

57.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡807

$1.80 ₡819

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,491

$8.10 ₡3,684

-5.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡822

$1.40 ₡635

29.29%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$38.2K ₡17.3M

-2.62%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$33.2K ₡15.1M

-2.76%

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

$177 ₡80.4K

$93.5 ₡42.5K

89.07%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$21.44 ₡9,750

19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$59.1 ₡26.9K

2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.6K

$30.20 ₡13.7K

86.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$23.49 ₡10.7K

0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,542

$9.70 ₡4,413

2.99%

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

$531 ₡241.5K

$500 ₡227.3K

6.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$12.9K ₡5.9M

-2.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.2K

$63.5 ₡28.9K

-2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.8K

$50.9 ₡23.1K

3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.1K

$125 ₡56.8K

2.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$108 ₡49.0K

-1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡342.7K

$336 ₡153.0K

123.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡266.9K

$263 ₡119.8K

122.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡698.5K

$1,537 ₡699.1K

-0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.0K

$632 ₡287.3K

52.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡146.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 ₡345.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Coco: April 28, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $336 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 $78.0 in Playa del Coco versus $39.00 in Perez Zeledon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $347 – making Perez Zeledon 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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Coco is pricier by about 51%, 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 $2,650 per month in Playa del Coco and $1,756 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 $1,767 in Playa del Coco and $1,171 in Perez Zeledon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $531 per month in Playa del Coco and $500 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 $1,171, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. 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.