Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Turrialba Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Turrialba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,609 in Turrialba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,661 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,443 in Turrialba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,565 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,278 in Turrialba, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 9% more than Turrialba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Turrialba sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 31%, Turrialba by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 ₡7,399

$10.96 ₡5,008

47.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 ₡36.2K

$59.3 ₡27.1K

33.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 ₡4,667

$9.77 ₡4,463

4.50%

Cappuccino

$7.09 ₡3,238

$3.76 ₡1,717

88.56%

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

$2.39 ₡1,090

$2.07 ₡945

15.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡888

$1.58 ₡723

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₡1,467

$2.99 ₡1,367

7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,748

$4.64 ₡2,119

29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 ₡1,133

$2.06 ₡940

20.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 ₡1,300

$2.80 ₡1,281

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,011

$2.17 ₡990

1.84%

Eggs

$2.90 ₡1,324

$2.98 ₡1,362

-2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 ₡3,963

$10.18 ₡4,653

-14.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 ₡5,841

$9.31 ₡4,252

37.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 ₡6,131

$13.49 ₡6,165

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 ₡2,094

$4.53 ₡2,071

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₡690

$1.44 ₡659

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 ₡2,002

$4.36 ₡1,994

0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₡744

$3.52 ₡1,607

-53.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.46 ₡1,580

$3.45 ₡1,575

0.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₡1,342

$3.21 ₡1,467

-8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡436

$0.97 ₡444

-2.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₡1,333

$2.90 ₡1,325

0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 ₡2,310

$5.21 ₡2,380

-2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.84 ₡7,694

$21.69 ₡9,911

-22.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₡996

$2.41 ₡1,102

-9.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₡1,178

$2.85 ₡1,303

-9.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ₡528

$1.02 ₡465

13.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 ₡1,325

$1.88 ₡857

54.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡840

$1.85 ₡846

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,548

$8.03 ₡3,670

-3.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 ₡872

$1.47 ₡672

29.93%

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

$37.2K ₡17.0M

$37.6K ₡17.2M

-1.26%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$32.1K ₡14.7M

1.21%

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

$172 ₡78.4K

$95.5 ₡43.6K

79.76%

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

$25.70 ₡11.7K

$25.47 ₡11.6K

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.7K

$59.2 ₡27.0K

2.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.4K

$55.7 ₡25.5K

3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 ₡11.1K

$23.89 ₡10.9K

1.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 ₡4,624

$10.24 ₡4,679

-1.17%

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

$519 ₡236.9K

$568 ₡259.6K

-8.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.9M

$12.9K ₡5.9M

-0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₡28.3K

$62.2 ₡28.4K

-0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 ₡23.8K

$52.4 ₡23.9K

-0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.4K

$124 ₡56.8K

0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.9K

$110 ₡50.0K

-2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ₡343.7K

$770 ₡351.7K

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₡272.0K

$593 ₡270.7K

0.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 ₡705.3K

$1,498 ₡684.3K

3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 ₡436.3K

$945 ₡431.6K

1.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$327 ₡149.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$781 ₡357.0K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Playa del Coco versus $770 in Turrialba. 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 $79.0 in Playa del Coco versus $59.0 in Turrialba. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Playa del Coco vs $370 in Turrialba – 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 Turrialba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 9% more than Turrialba, 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 $2,637 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,413 in Turrialba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Turrialba, 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 $79.0 in Playa del Coco and $59.0 in Turrialba. 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Turrialba, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Playa del Coco at $1,758. In Turrialba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Turrialba – 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 Turrialba. 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.