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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,577 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,395 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,214 in San Rafael, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 12% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and San Rafael sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 32%, San Rafael by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,099

$11.10 ₡5,047

40.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.6K

$59.2 ₡26.9K

32.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,549

$10.00 ₡4,547

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,229

$3.73 ₡1,695

90.35%

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

$2.44 ₡1,110

$1.99 ₡904

22.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡837

$1.64 ₡745

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,505

$2.90 ₡1,317

14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,731

$4.55 ₡2,067

32.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,136

$1.95 ₡888

28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,306

$2.84 ₡1,293

1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,003

$2.22 ₡1,010

-0.45%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.92 ₡1,326

-0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,770

$9.93 ₡4,513

-16.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,791

$9.18 ₡4,175

38.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,132

$13.77 ₡6,263

-2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,069

$4.59 ₡2,087

-0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$1.44 ₡655

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,881

$4.20 ₡1,909

-1.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡753

$3.55 ₡1,615

-53.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,554

$3.39 ₡1,540

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,373

$3.12 ₡1,417

-3.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡463

$0.97 ₡442

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,320

$2.86 ₡1,298

1.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,230

$5.23 ₡2,377

-6.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,593

$21.81 ₡9,919

-23.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡957

$2.52 ₡1,146

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,150

$2.79 ₡1,271

-9.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡555

$1.02 ₡465

19.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,323

$1.85 ₡840

57.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡807

$1.86 ₡848

-4.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,491

$7.76 ₡3,528

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡822

$1.45 ₡662

24.83%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

-0.17%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.5K ₡14.8M

-0.74%

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

$177 ₡80.4K

$92.7 ₡42.1K

90.85%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$26.11 ₡11.9K

-2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$60.5 ₡27.5K

-0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.6K

$57.3 ₡26.1K

-1.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$24.16 ₡11.0K

-2.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,542

$9.86 ₡4,483

1.32%

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

$531 ₡241.5K

$575 ₡261.6K

-7.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$12.9K ₡5.9M

-2.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.2K

$61.6 ₡28.0K

0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.8K

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.1K

$127 ₡57.8K

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$109 ₡49.8K

-2.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡342.7K

$779 ₡354.2K

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡266.9K

$598 ₡272.0K

-1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡698.5K

$1,526 ₡693.7K

0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.0K

$972 ₡442.0K

-1.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡146.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 ₡345.3K

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 San Rafael: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $779 in San Rafael. 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 $59.0 in San Rafael. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Playa del Coco vs $368 in San Rafael – 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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 12% more than San Rafael, 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 $2,365 in San Rafael. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Rafael, 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 $59.0 in San Rafael. 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 Rafael, where all-in costs run around $1,577, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. In San Rafael 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 Rafael – 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 Rafael. 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.