Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Puerto Rico vs $1,672 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,186 per month in Puerto Rico vs $2,628 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,936 per month in Puerto Rico vs $3,583 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Puerto Rico is roughly 14% lower than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Puerto Rico and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – Puerto Rico by 5%, Costa Rica by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 $13.47

$10.99 ₡4,903

22.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$56.4 ₡25.2K

39.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.11 ₡4,957

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$3.32 $3.32

$4.57 ₡2,039

-27.35%

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

$1.65 $1.65

$2.36 ₡1,054

-30.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.94 ₡868

-31.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.33 ₡1,486

-7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.55 ₡2,030

-11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.34 ₡1,043

-10.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.64 ₡1,626

-13.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.67 ₡1,190

-17.60%

Eggs

$5.91 $5.91

$4.05 ₡1,805

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 $10.30

$10.23 ₡4,564

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$10.22 ₡4,560

-18.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$13.69 ₡6,111

-9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$5.06 ₡2,260

-5.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.70 ₡760

64.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.51 ₡1,567

33.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.40 ₡1,518

36.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.57 ₡1,592

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.15 ₡1,406

-0.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.15 ₡515

160.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.76 ₡1,232

-32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$5.43 ₡2,423

118.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 $15.32

$15.30 ₡6,828

0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.65 ₡1,183

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.35 ₡1,497

1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.13 ₡504

7.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 $29.40

$67.0 ₡29.9K

-56.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.32 ₡1,036

10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.95 ₡870

-25.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.04 $42.04

$9.24 ₡4,124

354.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.55 ₡691

-37.42%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$32.9K ₡14.7M

23.01%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$36.4K ₡16.3M

-18.73%

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

$294 $294

$99.9 ₡44.6K

194.00%

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

$71.8 $71.8

$31.66 ₡14.1K

126.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$59.8 ₡26.7K

20.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.24 $32.24

$66.4 ₡29.6K

-51.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 $13.98

$23.46 ₡10.5K

-40.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 $9.98

$8.91 ₡3,977

12.01%

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

$720 $720

$766 ₡341.7K

-5.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$12.6K ₡5.6M

-5.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$78.1 ₡34.9K

-29.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$53.0 ₡23.6K

-4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$132 ₡58.9K

-30.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$113 ₡50.2K

-8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 $1,009

$891 ₡397.5K

13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 $690

$672 ₡300.0K

2.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 $2,045

$1,710 ₡763.2K

19.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 $1,273

$1,177 ₡525.4K

8.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,759 $5,759

$2,465 ₡1.1M

133.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,455 $2,455

$1,654 ₡738.2K

48.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,739 $2,739

$1,104 ₡492.6K

148.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

9.53

-32.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Puerto Rico: August 18, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $370 in Puerto Rico vs $817 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,844 in San Juan and $930 in San Jose.

Average salary: $2,395 in Puerto Rico vs $1,109 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 121% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 39% more in Puerto Rico.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 116% higher in Puerto Rico, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Puerto Rico.

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

Puerto Rico vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Rico is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 39% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Puerto Rico, contributing to the overall 39% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Puerto Rico, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Puerto Rico is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.