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 $1,738 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,301 in Upala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,664 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,959 in Upala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,591 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,616 in Upala, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 34% more than Upala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Coco sits 31% above the global median, while Upala is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 ₡7,234

$10.83 ₡4,855

48.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 ₡36.0K

$49.12 ₡22.0K

63.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 ₡4,528

$9.68 ₡4,340

4.34%

Cappuccino

$7.05 ₡3,160

$3.29 ₡1,474

114.29%

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

$2.37 ₡1,064

$1.62 ₡725

46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡854

$1.56 ₡698

21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.01 ₡1,349

8.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 ₡2,742

$4.74 ₡2,126

29.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 ₡1,132

$1.95 ₡876

29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 ₡1,245

$1.52 ₡682

82.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡962

$2.18 ₡977

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,313

$2.38 ₡1,066

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 ₡3,875

$3.00 ₡1,347

188.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 ₡5,808

$5.89 ₡2,639

119.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 ₡6,072

$7.84 ₡3,517

72.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ₡2,045

$1.57 ₡705

190.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.62 ₡278

145.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 ₡1,868

$2.62 ₡1,174

59.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡741

$2.41 ₡1,081

-31.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ₡1,480

$3.34 ₡1,500

-1.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₡1,317

$2.46 ₡1,101

19.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡429

$1.01 ₡452

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,326

$2.34 ₡1,049

26.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,218

$5.31 ₡2,379

-6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.51 ₡8,301

$8.86 ₡3,974

108.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₡937

$2.43 ₡1,091

-13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,200

$2.81 ₡1,259

-4.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₡524

$0.95 ₡425

23.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ₡1,314

$1.81 ₡809

61.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 ₡810

$1.84 ₡823

-1.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,445

$6.01 ₡2,696

27.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ₡824

$1.26 ₡563

46.03%

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

$38.5K ₡17.2M

$37.4K ₡16.8M

2.76%

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

$32.3K ₡14.5M

$32.0K ₡14.4M

0.82%

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

$175 ₡78.2K

$49.91 ₡22.4K

249.65%

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

$26.08 ₡11.7K

$25.62 ₡11.5K

1.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 ₡26.4K

$19.71 ₡8,837

199.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.3K

-0.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.53 ₡10.5K

$23.90 ₡10.7K

-1.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ₡4,522

$9.80 ₡4,394

2.86%

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

$517 ₡231.9K

$571 ₡256.1K

-9.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$12.6K ₡5.7M

1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ₡28.6K

$29.49 ₡13.2K

116.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 ₡23.0K

$19.99 ₡8,964

156.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.2K

$126 ₡56.5K

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.1K

$30.27 ₡13.6K

254.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₡343.7K

$765 ₡342.9K

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ₡267.7K

$603 ₡270.5K

-1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 ₡681.9K

$1,515 ₡679.2K

0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 ₡440.0K

$979 ₡439.1K

0.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$327 ₡146.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$775 ₡347.7K

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 26, 2026

Last update for Upala: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $767 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 $80.0 in Playa del Coco versus $49.00 in Upala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $232 – 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 34% 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 $2,607 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 $80.0 in Playa del Coco and $49.00 in Upala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $1,738. 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.