Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Quesada Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Quesada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,517 in Quesada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,325 in Quesada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,134 in Quesada, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 16% more than Quesada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Quesada sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 32%, Quesada by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,112

$10.92 ₡4,976

42.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.7K

$60.0 ₡27.3K

30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,557

$9.91 ₡4,516

0.91%

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,235

$3.76 ₡1,714

88.83%

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

$2.44 ₡1,112

$2.01 ₡914

21.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡838

$1.64 ₡748

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,507

$2.90 ₡1,319

14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,736

$2.21 ₡1,007

171.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,138

$1.97 ₡896

26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,308

$2.79 ₡1,271

2.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,005

$2.16 ₡984

2.31%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,326

$2.45 ₡1,116

18.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,777

$9.89 ₡4,505

-16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,801

$8.85 ₡4,031

43.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,142

$13.68 ₡6,233

-1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,073

$4.53 ₡2,065

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡657

$1.47 ₡668

-2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,885

$1.00 ₡457

314.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡754

$3.48 ₡1,585

-52.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,557

$3.53 ₡1,609

-3.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,376

$3.13 ₡1,424

-3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡464

$0.98 ₡446

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,322

$2.79 ₡1,273

3.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,234

$5.40 ₡2,459

-9.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,606

$15.65 ₡7,131

6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡959

$2.49 ₡1,134

-15.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,152

$2.82 ₡1,284

-10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡556

$0.96 ₡439

27.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,325

$1.35 ₡615

115.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡808

$1.40 ₡638

26.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,498

$7.97 ₡3,630

-3.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡823

$1.46 ₡666

23.97%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$37.8K ₡17.2M

-1.81%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.1K ₡14.6M

0.72%

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

$177 ₡80.5K

$94.1 ₡42.9K

87.83%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$26.13 ₡11.9K

-2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.5K

$49.91 ₡22.7K

20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.7K

$38.99 ₡17.8K

44.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$24.22 ₡11.0K

-2.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,550

$5.31 ₡2,417

88.14%

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

$531 ₡242.0K

$225 ₡102.3K

136.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$3,785 ₡1.7M

231.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.3K

$61.4 ₡28.0K

1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.9K

$52.3 ₡23.8K

0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.2K

$121 ₡54.9K

6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.4K

$101 ₡45.9K

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡343.3K

$776 ₡353.6K

-2.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡267.4K

$591 ₡269.1K

-0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡699.7K

$1,490 ₡678.5K

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.8K

$948 ₡431.8K

1.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,145 ₡1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡147.2K

$2,125 ₡968.1K

-84.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 ₡346.0K

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 28, 2026

Last update for Quesada: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $776 in Quesada. 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 $60.0 in Quesada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $338 – making Quesada 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 Quesada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 16% more than Quesada, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,650 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,275 in Quesada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quesada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Playa del Coco and $60.0 in Quesada. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Playa del Coco, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quesada, where all-in costs run around $1,517, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. In Quesada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quesada – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Quesada. 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.