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 $1,747 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,730 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,752 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,739 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,758 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,747 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 1% 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 28%, Santa Cruz by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 ₡8,044

$11.99 ₡5,329

50.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ₡25.2K

$59.4 ₡26.4K

-4.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 ₡4,891

$11.27 ₡5,010

-2.40%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₡1,885

$4.50 ₡2,000

-5.78%

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

$2.64 ₡1,175

$2.27 ₡1,010

16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₡764

$1.90 ₡844

-9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ₡1,578

$3.36 ₡1,492

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 ₡2,764

$4.43 ₡1,967

40.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₡1,035

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ₡1,123

$3.17 ₡1,407

-20.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,114

$2.53 ₡1,126

-0.79%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,535

$3.44 ₡1,529

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,716

$10.98 ₡4,882

-3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,677

$10.59 ₡4,708

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 ₡7,221

$14.19 ₡6,307

14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 ₡2,062

$5.24 ₡2,327

-11.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₡804

$1.12 ₡499

61.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ₡1,407

$4.89 ₡2,174

-35.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,588

$3.87 ₡1,719

-7.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₡1,451

$3.88 ₡1,725

-15.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,372

$3.76 ₡1,671

-17.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡425

$1.08 ₡481

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,039

$3.16 ₡1,403

-25.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 ₡2,549

$5.86 ₡2,607

-2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 ₡7,301

$20.13 ₡8,947

-18.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,190

$2.96 ₡1,313

-9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,180

$3.56 ₡1,584

-25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ₡605

$1.31 ₡581

3.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ₡1,516

$2.52 ₡1,119

35.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡723

$1.64 ₡728

-0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.68 ₡4,304

$9.01 ₡4,003

7.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 ₡879

$1.48 ₡657

33.78%

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

$21.1K ₡9.4M

$22.1K ₡9.8M

-4.45%

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

$32.6K ₡14.5M

$35.6K ₡15.8M

-8.56%

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

$95.2 ₡42.3K

$96.7 ₡43.0K

-1.57%

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

$30.38 ₡13.5K

$37.32 ₡16.6K

-18.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.5K

$60.0 ₡26.7K

-0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 ₡33.0K

$73.9 ₡32.9K

0.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 ₡3,792

$6.82 ₡3,030

25.07%

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

$813 ₡361.3K

$1,002 ₡445.2K

-18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-2.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 ₡35.0K

$71.3 ₡31.7K

10.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 ₡25.5K

$57.3 ₡25.4K

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡52.9K

$131 ₡58.1K

-8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ₡62.3K

$133 ₡59.1K

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ₡318.1K

$841 ₡373.7K

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₡275.1K

$676 ₡300.5K

-8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 ₡949.3K

$1,808 ₡803.3K

18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₡519.1K

$1,450 ₡644.5K

-19.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$330 ₡146.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 ₡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 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Playa del Coco versus $841 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 $57.0 in Playa del Coco versus $59.0 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $403 – 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 Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 1% 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 $2,621 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,596 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 $57.0 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 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $1,730, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. 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.