Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and San Isidro Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and San Isidro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,731 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,708 in San Isidro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,773 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,719 in San Isidro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,730 in San Isidro, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 1% more than San Isidro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and San Isidro sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 28%, San Isidro by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 ₡8,244

$12.04 ₡5,385

53.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 ₡26.1K

$57.0 ₡25.5K

2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 ₡5,189

$11.74 ₡5,248

-1.19%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,926

$4.26 ₡1,906

1.17%

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

$2.65 ₡1,186

$2.57 ₡1,148

3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₡727

$1.88 ₡842

-13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ₡1,555

$3.28 ₡1,467

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 ₡2,723

$4.50 ₡2,014

35.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 ₡1,062

$2.44 ₡1,093

-2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,240

$2.87 ₡1,285

-3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,143

$2.54 ₡1,135

0.79%

Eggs

$3.51 ₡1,569

$3.64 ₡1,628

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₡4,791

$10.67 ₡4,773

0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 ₡4,686

$10.45 ₡4,675

0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 ₡6,423

$14.28 ₡6,385

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,268

$5.26 ₡2,353

-3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₡715

$1.66 ₡744

-3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,548

$3.30 ₡1,474

4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,533

$3.50 ₡1,567

-2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,393

$3.03 ₡1,357

2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,449

$3.21 ₡1,437

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡491

$1.13 ₡504

-2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,189

$2.64 ₡1,181

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,661

$5.85 ₡2,615

1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 ₡7,476

$16.39 ₡7,331

2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,193

$2.68 ₡1,197

-0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₡1,177

$2.72 ₡1,215

-3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡589

$1.37 ₡612

-3.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ₡1,448

$2.53 ₡1,130

28.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡739

$1.64 ₡733

0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ₡3,828

$8.95 ₡4,004

-4.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡915

$1.53 ₡686

33.99%

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

$21.7K ₡9.7M

$22.3K ₡10.0M

-2.85%

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

$35.6K ₡15.9M

$35.4K ₡15.8M

0.48%

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

$96.1 ₡43.0K

$97.5 ₡43.6K

-1.47%

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

$30.75 ₡13.7K

$29.78 ₡13.3K

3.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$60.1 ₡26.9K

-0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 ₡32.4K

$74.9 ₡33.5K

-3.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₡3,639

$8.19 ₡3,664

-0.61%

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

$843 ₡377.2K

$840 ₡375.5K

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ₡7.7M

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-1.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ₡32.6K

$71.8 ₡32.1K

1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.4K

$129 ₡57.8K

0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡59.0K

$135 ₡60.4K

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡357.8K

$808 ₡361.2K

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 ₡286.3K

$638 ₡285.5K

0.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 ₡850.6K

$1,879 ₡840.2K

1.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₡561.5K

$1,294 ₡578.6K

-2.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$335 ₡149.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$774 ₡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 20, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $800 in Playa del Coco versus $808 in San Isidro. 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 $58.0 in Playa del Coco versus $57.0 in San Isidro. Groceries tell a different story – $373 in Playa del Coco vs $375 in San Isidro – 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 San Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 1% more than San Isidro, 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 $2,597 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,562 in San Isidro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Isidro, 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 $58.0 in Playa del Coco and $57.0 in San Isidro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Playa del Coco – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Isidro, where all-in costs run around $1,708, than in Playa del Coco at $1,731. In San Isidro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Isidro – 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 San Isidro. 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.