Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Santa Barbara Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Santa Barbara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,731 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,729 in Santa Barbara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,773 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,782 in Santa Barbara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,834 in Santa Barbara, rent included.

Playa del Coco and Santa Barbara have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Coco and Santa Barbara sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 28%, Santa Barbara by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 ₡8,244

$12.28 ₡5,491

50.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 ₡26.1K

$58.0 ₡26.0K

0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 ₡5,189

$11.43 ₡5,113

1.49%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,926

$4.46 ₡1,993

-3.36%

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

$2.65 ₡1,186

$2.56 ₡1,146

3.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₡727

$1.95 ₡870

-16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 ₡1,555

$3.36 ₡1,504

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 ₡2,723

$4.40 ₡1,968

38.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 ₡1,062

$2.38 ₡1,065

-0.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,240

$3.16 ₡1,412

-12.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,143

$2.52 ₡1,127

1.59%

Eggs

$3.51 ₡1,569

$3.57 ₡1,595

-1.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ₡4,791

$10.89 ₡4,870

-1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 ₡4,686

$10.40 ₡4,652

0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 ₡6,423

$14.25 ₡6,372

0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,268

$5.10 ₡2,282

-0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₡715

$1.58 ₡707

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,548

$4.70 ₡2,103

-26.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,533

$3.99 ₡1,784

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 ₡1,393

$3.92 ₡1,755

-20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,449

$3.60 ₡1,610

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡491

$1.09 ₡486

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,189

$3.28 ₡1,465

-18.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 ₡2,661

$6.05 ₡2,705

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 ₡7,476

$20.04 ₡8,963

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,193

$2.95 ₡1,318

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₡1,177

$3.63 ₡1,625

-27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡589

$1.34 ₡600

-1.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ₡1,448

$2.50 ₡1,119

29.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡739

$1.60 ₡714

3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ₡3,828

$8.91 ₡3,986

-3.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡915

$1.49 ₡667

37.58%

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

$21.7K ₡9.7M

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-3.25%

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

$35.6K ₡15.9M

0.00%

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

$96.1 ₡43.0K

$94.7 ₡42.3K

1.48%

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

$30.75 ₡13.7K

$36.77 ₡16.4K

-16.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$61.2 ₡27.3K

-2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 ₡32.4K

$74.3 ₡33.2K

-2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₡3,639

$8.56 ₡3,827

-4.91%

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

$843 ₡377.2K

$975 ₡436.0K

-13.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ₡7.7M

$17.1K ₡7.6M

1.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ₡32.6K

$73.5 ₡32.9K

-0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ₡25.5K

$56.4 ₡25.2K

1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.4K

$128 ₡57.1K

2.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡59.0K

$133 ₡59.6K

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡357.8K

$792 ₡354.0K

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 ₡286.3K

$628 ₡280.7K

2.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 ₡850.6K

$1,856 ₡830.0K

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 ₡561.5K

$1,267 ₡566.7K

-0.92%

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 Santa Barbara: September 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $800 in Playa del Coco versus $792 in Santa Barbara. 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 $58.0 in Santa Barbara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $406 – making Playa del Coco 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 Santa Barbara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,597 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,594 in Santa Barbara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Playa del Coco and $58.0 in Santa Barbara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Barbara, where all-in costs run around $1,729, than in Playa del Coco at $1,731. In Santa Barbara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Barbara – 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 Santa Barbara. 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.