Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Vazquez de Coronado Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Coco and Vazquez de Coronado

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,767 per month in Playa del Coco vs $1,499 in Vazquez de Coronado, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,660 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,176 in Vazquez de Coronado, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Playa del Coco vs $2,852 in Vazquez de Coronado, rent included.

Playa del Coco costs about 18% more than Vazquez de Coronado, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Coco and Vazquez de Coronado sit above the global median – Playa del Coco by 32%, Vazquez de Coronado by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 ₡7,099

$8.07 ₡3,668

93.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 ₡35.6K

$30.43 ₡13.8K

157.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 ₡4,549

$10.05 ₡4,569

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$7.10 ₡3,229

$2.89 ₡1,316

145.67%

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

$2.44 ₡1,110

$1.97 ₡897

23.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡837

$1.63 ₡742

12.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,505

$2.94 ₡1,338

12.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 ₡2,731

$2.91 ₡1,322

106.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 ₡1,136

$2.07 ₡941

20.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,306

$0.97 ₡441

195.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,003

$2.02 ₡918

9.41%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,324

$2.74 ₡1,245

6.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 ₡3,770

$9.71 ₡4,415

-14.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 ₡5,791

$9.13 ₡4,152

39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ₡6,132

$13.53 ₡6,151

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 ₡2,069

$3.88 ₡1,764

17.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₡656

$1.47 ₡667

-2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 ₡1,881

$4.28 ₡1,948

-3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡753

$2.05 ₡931

-19.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₡1,554

$2.01 ₡914

70.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 ₡1,373

$3.11 ₡1,415

-2.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡463

$0.48 ₡216

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,320

$2.95 ₡1,342

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ₡2,230

$5.30 ₡2,411

-7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 ₡7,593

$21.56 ₡9,804

-22.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₡957

$2.43 ₡1,105

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,150

$2.85 ₡1,296

-11.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡555

$1.04 ₡472

17.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₡1,323

$1.35 ₡612

115.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡807

$1.21 ₡550

46.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ₡3,491

$8.07 ₡3,672

-4.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ₡822

$1.41 ₡643

28.37%

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

$37.2K ₡16.9M

$38.1K ₡17.3M

-2.56%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.7K ₡14.9M

-1.42%

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

$177 ₡80.4K

$68.4 ₡31.1K

158.47%

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

$25.55 ₡11.6K

$26.09 ₡11.9K

-2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$59.9 ₡27.2K

0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.6K

$57.0 ₡25.9K

-1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.7K

$23.63 ₡10.7K

-0.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ₡4,542

$4.00 ₡1,820

149.75%

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

$531 ₡241.5K

$565 ₡257.0K

-6.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₡5.7M

$12.6K ₡5.7M

-0.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡28.2K

$61.8 ₡28.1K

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 ₡23.8K

$51.3 ₡23.3K

2.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.1K

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$105 ₡47.9K

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₡342.7K

$756 ₡344.0K

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡266.9K

$595 ₡270.7K

-1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₡698.5K

$1,527 ₡694.6K

0.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₡437.0K

$959 ₡436.1K

0.22%

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 Vazquez de Coronado: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Playa del Coco versus $756 in Vazquez de Coronado. 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 $30.00 in Vazquez de Coronado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $331 – making Vazquez de Coronado 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 Vazquez de Coronado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 18% more than Vazquez de Coronado, 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 $2,650 per month in Playa del Coco and $2,249 in Vazquez de Coronado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vazquez de Coronado, 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 $30.00 in Vazquez de Coronado. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Vazquez de Coronado, where all-in costs run around $1,499, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. In Vazquez de Coronado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vazquez de Coronado – 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 Vazquez de Coronado. 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.