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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,526 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,665 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,308 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,585 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,091 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 14% more than Santa Teresa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Santa Teresa sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 30%, Santa Teresa by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 ₡7,180

$10.07 ₡4,550

57.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 ₡36.6K

$43.61 ₡19.7K

85.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 ₡4,582

$9.61 ₡4,343

5.52%

Cappuccino

$6.98 ₡3,155

$3.86 ₡1,743

80.83%

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

$2.37 ₡1,072

$2.04 ₡923

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡849

$1.65 ₡745

13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 ₡1,443

$3.02 ₡1,367

5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 ₡2,702

$4.74 ₡2,142

26.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 ₡1,153

$2.02 ₡915

26.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,294

$2.84 ₡1,283

0.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡971

$2.23 ₡1,007

-3.59%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,305

$2.91 ₡1,314

-0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 ₡3,889

$10.03 ₡4,533

-14.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 ₡5,938

$8.96 ₡4,049

46.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 ₡6,232

$13.58 ₡6,135

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 ₡2,024

$4.58 ₡2,070

-2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡654

$1.44 ₡649

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 ₡1,912

$4.15 ₡1,875

1.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡748

$3.08 ₡1,391

-46.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 ₡1,512

$3.22 ₡1,457

4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,385

$2.55 ₡1,153

20.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡458

$1.03 ₡466

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,307

$2.97 ₡1,340

-2.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 ₡2,201

$4.93 ₡2,227

-1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 ₡7,510

$13.99 ₡6,322

18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₡939

$2.38 ₡1,076

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₡1,163

$2.57 ₡1,159

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 ₡522

$0.94 ₡425

22.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 ₡1,311

$1.88 ₡850

54.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡799

$1.80 ₡814

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,555

$8.03 ₡3,629

-1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 ₡865

$1.41 ₡636

35.46%

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

$37.4K ₡16.9M

$38.2K ₡17.2M

-2.03%

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

$32.9K ₡14.9M

$31.9K ₡14.4M

3.15%

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

$175 ₡79.2K

$82.5 ₡37.3K

112.50%

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

$25.51 ₡11.5K

$25.76 ₡11.6K

-0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ₡27.5K

$51.0 ₡23.1K

19.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.3K

$49.88 ₡22.5K

12.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 ₡10.8K

$23.71 ₡10.7K

1.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 ₡4,389

$8.92 ₡4,032

8.86%

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

$521 ₡235.3K

$565 ₡255.2K

-7.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-0.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.0K

$62.8 ₡28.4K

-1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 ₡23.5K

$51.3 ₡23.2K

1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.9K

$124 ₡56.1K

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.4K

$109 ₡49.3K

-1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡340.5K

$704 ₡317.9K

7.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₡269.9K

$608 ₡274.7K

-1.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 ₡684.1K

$1,412 ₡637.8K

7.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₡429.1K

$960 ₡433.8K

-1.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 ₡149.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 ₡339.3K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santa Teresa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $704 in Santa Teresa. 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 $81.0 in Playa del Coco versus $44.00 in Santa Teresa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $348 – making Santa Teresa 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 Teresa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 14% more than Santa Teresa, 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 $2,617 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,290 in Santa Teresa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Teresa, 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 $81.0 in Playa del Coco and $44.00 in Santa Teresa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Teresa, where all-in costs run around $1,526, than in Playa del Coco at $1,745. In Santa Teresa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santa Teresa costs $1,526 versus $1,745 in Playa del Coco. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Teresa. 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.