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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,747 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,601 in San Pedro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,655 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,405 in San Pedro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,564 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,210 in San Pedro, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 9% more than San Pedro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and San Pedro sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 31%, San Pedro by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 ₡7,264

$11.02 ₡4,966

46.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 ₡35.7K

$58.8 ₡26.5K

34.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 ₡4,604

$10.19 ₡4,590

0.29%

Cappuccino

$7.04 ₡3,172

$3.89 ₡1,754

80.98%

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

$2.41 ₡1,085

$2.04 ₡919

18.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡869

$1.59 ₡717

21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₡1,448

$3.03 ₡1,365

5.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₡2,637

$4.75 ₡2,139

23.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 ₡1,174

$2.03 ₡915

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,248

$2.75 ₡1,238

0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡964

$2.15 ₡970

-0.47%

Eggs

$3.05 ₡1,373

$3.03 ₡1,366

0.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 ₡3,826

$9.93 ₡4,473

-14.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 ₡5,866

$9.14 ₡4,119

42.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,138

$13.80 ₡6,219

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,974

$4.60 ₡2,071

-4.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡686

$1.47 ₡661

3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,885

$4.34 ₡1,954

-3.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡745

$3.58 ₡1,612

-53.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₡1,537

$3.41 ₡1,538

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,314

$3.09 ₡1,394

-5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡456

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,327

$2.91 ₡1,311

1.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,182

$5.30 ₡2,386

-8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 ₡8,257

$22.11 ₡9,962

-17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₡972

$2.46 ₡1,108

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,203

$2.84 ₡1,279

-5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡548

$1.00 ₡451

22.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₡1,317

$1.85 ₡832

57.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡833

$1.87 ₡840

-1.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,608

$7.81 ₡3,518

2.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡844

$1.41 ₡634

32.62%

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

$38.2K ₡17.2M

$38.4K ₡17.3M

-0.47%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$32.4K ₡14.6M

-1.32%

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

$175 ₡79.0K

$93.1 ₡42.0K

88.25%

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

$25.76 ₡11.6K

$25.52 ₡11.5K

0.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.3K

$60.6 ₡27.3K

-0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₡25.7K

$56.4 ₡25.4K

0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.42 ₡10.6K

$23.43 ₡10.6K

-0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ₡4,552

$10.17 ₡4,583

-0.69%

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

$536 ₡241.4K

$561 ₡252.8K

-4.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ₡28.5K

$62.0 ₡27.9K

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.1K

$52.2 ₡23.5K

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.0K

$125 ₡56.1K

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.0K

$107 ₡48.2K

-0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡349.8K

$770 ₡346.7K

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡265.3K

$602 ₡271.4K

-2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 ₡687.1K

$1,523 ₡686.4K

0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡440.1K

$946 ₡426.2K

3.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$325 ₡146.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$783 ₡352.6K

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 Pedro: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Playa del Coco versus $770 in San Pedro. 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 Pedro. Groceries tell a different story – $370 in Playa del Coco vs $370 in San Pedro – 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 9% more than San Pedro, 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 $2,401 in San Pedro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pedro, 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 Pedro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro, where all-in costs run around $1,601, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. In San Pedro 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 Pedro – 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 San Pedro. 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.