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 $1,767 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,563 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,401 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,238 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 13% 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 32%, Santa Cruz by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,099

$10.74 ₡4,885

45.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.6K

$58.7 ₡26.7K

33.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,549

$9.90 ₡4,503

1.01%

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,229

$3.83 ₡1,741

85.38%

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

$2.44 ₡1,110

$1.99 ₡906

22.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡837

$1.65 ₡751

11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,505

$2.96 ₡1,348

11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,731

$4.65 ₡2,115

29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,136

$1.95 ₡888

28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,306

$2.77 ₡1,258

3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,003

$2.13 ₡969

3.76%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.98 ₡1,355

-2.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,770

$10.20 ₡4,641

-18.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,791

$9.14 ₡4,155

39.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,132

$13.70 ₡6,231

-1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,069

$4.59 ₡2,086

-0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$0.94 ₡428

53.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,881

$4.37 ₡1,985

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡753

$3.47 ₡1,580

-52.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,554

$3.54 ₡1,608

-3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,373

$3.19 ₡1,450

-5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡463

$0.95 ₡433

7.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,320

$2.84 ₡1,290

2.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,230

$5.21 ₡2,370

-5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,593

$22.15 ₡10.1K

-24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡957

$2.41 ₡1,098

-12.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,150

$2.93 ₡1,332

-13.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡555

$0.98 ₡445

24.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,323

$1.85 ₡843

57.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡807

$1.80 ₡817

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,491

$7.70 ₡3,499

-0.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡822

$1.45 ₡658

24.83%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$38.4K ₡17.4M

-3.13%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.1K ₡14.6M

0.68%

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

$177 ₡80.4K

$93.6 ₡42.6K

88.95%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$26.04 ₡11.8K

-1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$52.8 ₡24.0K

14.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.6K

$57.8 ₡26.3K

-2.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$23.68 ₡10.8K

-0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,542

$5.99 ₡2,724

66.78%

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

$531 ₡241.5K

$579 ₡263.2K

-8.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$12.7K ₡5.8M

-1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.2K

$62.7 ₡28.5K

-1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.8K

$50.9 ₡23.1K

3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.1K

$126 ₡57.2K

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$107 ₡48.8K

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡342.7K

$776 ₡352.8K

-2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡266.9K

$590 ₡268.5K

-0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡698.5K

$1,495 ₡679.7K

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.0K

$951 ₡432.6K

1.01%

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 Santa Cruz: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $776 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 $78.0 in Playa del Coco versus $59.0 in Santa Cruz. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Playa del Coco vs $366 in Santa Cruz – 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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 13% 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 $2,650 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,345 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 $78.0 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.

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 Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $1,563, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. 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.