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 $1,796 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,591 in Turrialba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,728 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,434 in Turrialba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $3,277 in Turrialba, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 13% more than Turrialba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Turrialba sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 34%, Turrialba by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.81 ₡7,074

$11.09 ₡4,962

42.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 ₡35.8K

$60.5 ₡27.1K

32.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 ₡4,345

$10.14 ₡4,538

-4.24%

Cappuccino

$7.01 ₡3,138

$3.76 ₡1,684

86.44%

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

$2.37 ₡1,060

$1.99 ₡889

19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡855

$1.59 ₡709

20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₡1,472

$3.06 ₡1,369

7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 ₡2,650

$4.74 ₡2,119

24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 ₡1,153

$2.06 ₡921

25.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 ₡1,289

$2.80 ₡1,251

2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡956

$2.17 ₡972

-1.38%

Eggs

$3.04 ₡1,362

$2.93 ₡1,312

3.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 ₡3,667

$10.07 ₡4,503

-18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.79 ₡5,721

$9.27 ₡4,148

37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 ₡6,187

$13.63 ₡6,098

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,032

$4.51 ₡2,019

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡656

$1.45 ₡650

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 ₡1,919

$4.34 ₡1,944

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.48 ₡1,558

-53.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 ₡1,488

$3.44 ₡1,540

-3.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₡1,330

$3.19 ₡1,427

-6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₡448

$1.03 ₡460

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,302

$2.82 ₡1,264

3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,164

$5.23 ₡2,342

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ₡8,307

$21.65 ₡9,686

-14.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₡965

$2.46 ₡1,099

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₡1,138

$2.84 ₡1,270

-10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡545

$0.96 ₡429

27.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 ₡1,298

$1.85 ₡829

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡821

$1.83 ₡821

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 ₡3,607

$7.97 ₡3,564

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 ₡855

$1.45 ₡649

31.72%

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

$38.0K ₡17.0M

$37.2K ₡16.6M

2.06%

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

$32.9K ₡14.7M

$32.1K ₡14.3M

2.71%

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

$173 ₡77.4K

$93.3 ₡41.7K

85.38%

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

$26.40 ₡11.8K

$26.42 ₡11.8K

-0.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 ₡26.8K

$59.4 ₡26.6K

0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₡25.3K

$56.4 ₡25.2K

0.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.92 ₡10.7K

$23.75 ₡10.6K

0.72%

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 ₡4,580

$10.18 ₡4,556

0.59%

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

$515 ₡230.5K

$570 ₡255.1K

-9.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$12.7K ₡5.7M

0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 ₡28.4K

$62.5 ₡28.0K

1.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 ₡23.1K

$51.6 ₡23.1K

0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡56.7K

-0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡47.2K

$108 ₡48.2K

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₡348.3K

$750 ₡335.5K

3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₡269.3K

$590 ₡263.9K

2.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 ₡688.6K

$1,523 ₡681.1K

1.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 ₡438.6K

$954 ₡427.0K

2.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$326 ₡145.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$783 ₡350.1K

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 14, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $779 in Playa del Coco versus $750 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 $80.0 in Playa del Coco versus $61.0 in Turrialba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $369 – making Turrialba 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 Turrialba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 13% 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 $2,694 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,387 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 $80.0 in Playa del Coco and $61.0 in Turrialba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 Turrialba, where all-in costs run around $1,591, than in Playa del Coco at $1,796. 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.