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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,747 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,570 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,655 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,398 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,564 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,226 in San Juan, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 11% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and San Juan sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 31%, San Juan by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 ₡7,274

$11.12 ₡5,016

44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 ₡35.7K

$58.6 ₡26.4K

35.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 ₡4,610

$10.21 ₡4,607

0.10%

Cappuccino

$7.04 ₡3,176

$3.86 ₡1,742

82.38%

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

$2.41 ₡1,086

$2.01 ₡905

19.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡871

$1.64 ₡738

17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₡1,450

$3.02 ₡1,363

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₡2,641

$4.81 ₡2,168

21.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 ₡1,175

$1.95 ₡882

33.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,250

$2.80 ₡1,262

-1.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡966

$2.16 ₡975

-0.93%

Eggs

$3.05 ₡1,374

$3.00 ₡1,354

1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 ₡3,831

$9.92 ₡4,476

-14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 ₡5,873

$9.27 ₡4,183

40.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,146

$13.93 ₡6,285

-2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,977

$4.46 ₡2,013

-1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡687

$1.51 ₡680

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,888

$4.24 ₡1,915

-1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡746

$3.42 ₡1,543

-51.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₡1,539

$3.39 ₡1,530

0.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,316

$3.08 ₡1,390

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡457

$1.02 ₡461

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,328

$2.85 ₡1,285

3.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,185

$5.12 ₡2,312

-5.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 ₡8,268

$21.81 ₡9,840

-15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₡973

$2.41 ₡1,086

-10.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,204

$2.89 ₡1,305

-7.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$1.01 ₡454

20.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₡1,318

$1.81 ₡818

61.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡834

$1.86 ₡838

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,613

$7.67 ₡3,459

4.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡845

$1.41 ₡634

32.62%

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

$38.2K ₡17.2M

$37.3K ₡16.8M

2.53%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$33.0K ₡14.9M

-3.00%

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

$175 ₡79.1K

$93.2 ₡42.0K

88.07%

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

$25.76 ₡11.6K

$26.36 ₡11.9K

-2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.3K

$59.1 ₡26.7K

2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₡25.7K

$57.7 ₡26.0K

-1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.42 ₡10.6K

$24.15 ₡10.9K

-3.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ₡4,558

$9.94 ₡4,484

1.61%

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

$536 ₡241.8K

$579 ₡261.1K

-7.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ₡28.5K

$63.6 ₡28.7K

-0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.1K

$51.4 ₡23.2K

-0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.1K

$128 ₡57.6K

-2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.1K

$108 ₡48.9K

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡350.2K

$768 ₡346.3K

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡265.7K

$600 ₡270.9K

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 ₡688.0K

$1,498 ₡676.0K

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡440.6K

$971 ₡438.2K

0.55%

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

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 San Juan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Playa del Coco versus $768 in San Juan. 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 $59.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $368 – making San Juan 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 San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 11% more than San Juan, 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 $2,620 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,355 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan, 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 $79.0 in Playa del Coco and $59.0 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 San Juan, where all-in costs run around $1,570, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. In San Juan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan costs $1,570 versus $1,747 in Playa del Coco. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Juan. 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.