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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,587 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,664 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,382 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,591 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,178 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 10% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Santa Cruz sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 31%, Santa Cruz by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 ₡7,234

$10.73 ₡4,812

50.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 ₡36.0K

$59.4 ₡26.6K

35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 ₡4,528

$9.66 ₡4,331

4.55%

Cappuccino

$7.05 ₡3,160

$3.87 ₡1,734

82.17%

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

$2.37 ₡1,064

$2.06 ₡925

15.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡854

$1.58 ₡710

20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.05 ₡1,367

7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 ₡2,742

$4.77 ₡2,140

28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 ₡1,132

$1.98 ₡889

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 ₡1,245

$2.76 ₡1,236

0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡962

$2.25 ₡1,008

-4.89%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,313

$3.03 ₡1,360

-3.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 ₡3,875

$10.11 ₡4,531

-14.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 ₡5,808

$8.86 ₡3,971

46.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 ₡6,072

$13.80 ₡6,187

-1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₡2,045

$4.55 ₡2,040

0.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.03 ₡463

47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 ₡1,868

$4.23 ₡1,895

-1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡741

$3.55 ₡1,590

-53.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₡1,480

$3.55 ₡1,592

-7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₡1,317

$3.21 ₡1,441

-8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡429

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,326

$2.95 ₡1,321

0.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,218

$5.15 ₡2,308

-3.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.51 ₡8,301

$21.66 ₡9,713

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₡937

$2.52 ₡1,129

-17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

$2.82 ₡1,265

-4.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₡524

$0.96 ₡430

21.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ₡1,314

$1.79 ₡801

63.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 ₡810

$1.85 ₡829

-2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,445

$7.77 ₡3,485

-1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ₡824

$1.40 ₡628

31.43%

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

$38.5K ₡17.2M

$38.5K ₡17.3M

-0.16%

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

$32.3K ₡14.5M

$32.8K ₡14.7M

-1.58%

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

$175 ₡78.2K

$93.3 ₡41.8K

87.08%

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

$26.08 ₡11.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 ₡26.4K

$54.4 ₡24.4K

8.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.3K

$57.2 ₡25.6K

-1.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.53 ₡10.5K

$24.12 ₡10.8K

-2.45%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ₡4,522

$6.10 ₡2,737

65.25%

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

$517 ₡231.9K

$576 ₡258.4K

-10.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$12.7K ₡5.7M

0.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ₡28.6K

$62.9 ₡28.2K

1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 ₡23.0K

$52.4 ₡23.5K

-1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.2K

$126 ₡56.6K

-0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.1K

$107 ₡47.9K

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₡343.7K

$773 ₡346.8K

-0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₡267.7K

$607 ₡272.2K

-1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 ₡681.9K

$1,547 ₡693.6K

-1.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 ₡440.0K

$982 ₡440.2K

-0.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$327 ₡146.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$775 ₡347.7K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $767 in Playa del Coco versus $773 in Santa Cruz. 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 $80.0 in Playa del Coco versus $59.0 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $366 – making Santa Cruz 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 Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 10% more than Santa Cruz, 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 $2,607 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,380 in Santa Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, 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 $80.0 in Playa del Coco and $59.0 in Santa Cruz. 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 Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $1,587, than in Playa del Coco at $1,738. In Santa Cruz 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 Cruz – 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 Cruz. 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.