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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,301 in Upala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,990 in Upala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,679 in Upala, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 36% more than Upala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Coco sits 32% above the global median, while Upala is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,099

$11.09 ₡5,044

40.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.6K

$49.92 ₡22.7K

56.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,549

$9.81 ₡4,462

1.94%

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,229

$3.40 ₡1,545

108.82%

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

$2.44 ₡1,110

$1.56 ₡709

56.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡837

$1.55 ₡706

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,505

$3.04 ₡1,384

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,731

$4.62 ₡2,100

30.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,136

$2.02 ₡920

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,306

$1.53 ₡696

87.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,003

$2.22 ₡1,010

-0.45%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.43 ₡1,105

19.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,770

$2.94 ₡1,338

181.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,791

$6.08 ₡2,765

109.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,132

$8.13 ₡3,695

65.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,069

$1.58 ₡717

187.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$0.62 ₡283

132.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,881

$2.52 ₡1,148

64.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡753

$2.34 ₡1,063

-29.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,554

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,373

$2.35 ₡1,069

28.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡463

$1.01 ₡461

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,320

$2.42 ₡1,101

19.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,230

$5.24 ₡2,384

-6.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,593

$8.72 ₡3,967

91.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡957

$2.40 ₡1,092

-12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,150

$2.95 ₡1,341

-14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡555

$1.02 ₡464

19.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,323

$1.81 ₡822

60.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡807

$1.84 ₡839

-3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,491

$6.06 ₡2,757

26.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡822

$1.29 ₡589

40.31%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$38.5K ₡17.5M

-3.53%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.4K ₡14.7M

-0.24%

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

$177 ₡80.4K

$51.7 ₡23.5K

242.01%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$26.32 ₡12.0K

-2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$19.86 ₡9,032

203.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.6K

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-2.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$23.81 ₡10.8K

-1.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,542

$10.06 ₡4,575

-0.70%

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

$531 ₡241.5K

$578 ₡262.8K

-8.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.2K

$29.81 ₡13.6K

108.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.8K

$19.84 ₡9,020

164.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.1K

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$30.04 ₡13.7K

253.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡342.7K

$765 ₡347.9K

-1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡266.9K

$598 ₡272.0K

-1.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡698.5K

$1,519 ₡690.7K

1.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.0K

$956 ₡434.7K

0.52%

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 Upala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $765 in Upala. 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 $50.0 in Upala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $235 – making Upala 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 Upala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 36% more than Upala, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,951 in Upala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upala, 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 $50.0 in Upala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Upala, where all-in costs run around $1,301, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. In Upala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Upala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Upala. 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.