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 $1,747 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,324 in Upala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,655 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,967 in Upala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,564 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,610 in Upala, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 32% more than Upala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Coco sits 31% above the global median, while Upala is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 ₡7,274

$10.97 ₡4,951

46.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 ₡35.7K

$48.79 ₡22.0K

62.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 ₡4,610

$9.75 ₡4,399

4.82%

Cappuccino

$7.04 ₡3,176

$3.43 ₡1,546

105.25%

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

$2.41 ₡1,086

$1.63 ₡734

47.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡871

$1.61 ₡725

19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₡1,450

$2.92 ₡1,316

9.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₡2,641

$4.54 ₡2,050

28.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 ₡1,175

$2.00 ₡903

30.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,250

$1.53 ₡689

81.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡966

$2.21 ₡998

-3.17%

Eggs

$3.05 ₡1,374

$2.44 ₡1,103

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 ₡3,831

$2.91 ₡1,313

191.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 ₡5,873

$6.11 ₡2,756

113.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,146

$7.92 ₡3,574

71.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,977

$1.54 ₡696

184.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡687

$0.61 ₡276

149.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,888

$2.58 ₡1,164

62.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₡746

$2.34 ₡1,056

-29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₡1,539

$3.33 ₡1,504

2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₡1,316

$2.41 ₡1,089

21.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡457

$0.95 ₡428

6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,328

$2.35 ₡1,060

25.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 ₡2,185

$5.23 ₡2,358

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 ₡8,268

$8.98 ₡4,053

104.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₡973

$2.40 ₡1,083

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₡1,204

$2.89 ₡1,302

-7.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$0.95 ₡427

28.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₡1,318

$1.86 ₡839

56.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡834

$1.83 ₡827

1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 ₡3,613

$6.15 ₡2,773

30.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ₡845

$1.24 ₡561

50.81%

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

$38.2K ₡17.2M

$37.3K ₡16.8M

2.30%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$33.0K ₡14.9M

-2.96%

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

$175 ₡79.1K

$50.2 ₡22.7K

248.93%

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

$25.76 ₡11.6K

$25.60 ₡11.6K

0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 ₡27.3K

$20.19 ₡9,110

199.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₡25.7K

$57.5 ₡26.0K

-0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.42 ₡10.6K

$23.83 ₡10.8K

-1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ₡4,558

$9.93 ₡4,480

1.71%

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

$536 ₡241.8K

$573 ₡258.4K

-6.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-1.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ₡28.5K

$30.42 ₡13.7K

107.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.1K

$19.59 ₡8,836

161.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.1K

$29.42 ₡13.3K

262.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡350.2K

$768 ₡346.6K

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₡265.7K

$587 ₡265.0K

0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 ₡688.0K

$1,524 ₡687.3K

0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡440.6K

$977 ₡440.5K

0.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$325 ₡146.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$783 ₡353.0K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Upala: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Playa del Coco versus $768 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 $79.0 in Playa del Coco versus $49.00 in Upala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $233 – 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 32% 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 $2,620 per month in Playa del Coco and $1,986 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 $79.0 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 $1,324, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. 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.