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 $1,190 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,655 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,943 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,564 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,695 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 47% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Coco sits 31% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 ₡7,274

$6.88 ₡3,105

134.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 ₡35.7K

$39.38 ₡17.8K

101.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 ₡4,610

$10.24 ₡4,621

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$7.04 ₡3,176

$3.88 ₡1,749

81.44%

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

$2.41 ₡1,086

$1.51 ₡680

59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡871

$1.66 ₡748

16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₡1,450

$2.90 ₡1,310

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₡2,641

$4.64 ₡2,092

26.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 ₡1,175

$2.00 ₡904

30.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,250

$2.79 ₡1,259

-0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡966

$2.25 ₡1,014

-4.89%

Eggs

$3.05 ₡1,374

$2.62 ₡1,183

16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 ₡3,831

$8.25 ₡3,724

2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 ₡5,873

$8.90 ₡4,013

46.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,146

$13.53 ₡6,105

0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,977

$4.44 ₡2,003

-1.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡687

$1.01 ₡455

50.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,888

$4.13 ₡1,864

1.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡746

$3.46 ₡1,559

-52.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₡1,539

$2.81 ₡1,267

21.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,316

$2.82 ₡1,272

3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡457

$0.38 ₡173

165.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,328

$2.80 ₡1,264

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,185

$5.09 ₡2,294

-4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 ₡8,268

$22.08 ₡9,962

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₡973

$2.24 ₡1,011

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,204

$1.52 ₡684

75.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$0.69 ₡309

76.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₡1,318

$1.79 ₡809

63.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡834

$1.85 ₡833

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,613

$7.74 ₡3,493

3.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡845

$1.36 ₡612

37.50%

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

$38.2K ₡17.2M

-0.11%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$32.4K ₡14.6M

-1.22%

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

$175 ₡79.1K

$92.4 ₡41.7K

89.68%

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

$25.76 ₡11.6K

$21.50 ₡9,700

19.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.3K

$59.3 ₡26.8K

2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₡25.7K

$29.66 ₡13.4K

92.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.42 ₡10.6K

$23.81 ₡10.7K

-1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ₡4,558

$9.71 ₡4,379

4.02%

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

$536 ₡241.8K

$491 ₡221.7K

9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$12.7K ₡5.7M

-0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ₡28.5K

$61.5 ₡27.7K

2.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.1K

$50.9 ₡23.0K

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.1K

$124 ₡56.0K

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.1K

$109 ₡49.3K

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡350.2K

$339 ₡152.8K

129.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡265.7K

$270 ₡122.0K

117.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 ₡688.0K

$1,509 ₡680.8K

1.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡440.6K

$639 ₡288.2K

52.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$325 ₡146.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$783 ₡353.0K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Playa del Coco versus $339 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 $79.0 in Playa del Coco versus $39.00 in Perez Zeledon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 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 47%, 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 $2,620 per month in Playa del Coco and $1,784 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 $1,190 in Perez Zeledon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $536 per month in Playa del Coco and $491 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 $1,190, 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.