Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome, GA and Samara, Costa Rica

For one person, living is cheaper in Samara: $2,032 a month against $2,269 in Rome, GA, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rome, GA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Rome, GA, United States
Samara, Costa Rica
Rome, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,269
/mo nomad
Samara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,032
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rome, GA and in Samara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rome, GA and in Samara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Rome, GA vs $2,032 in Samara, rent included.

  • Rome, GA $2,269
  • Samara $2,032

A couple spends around $3,195 per month in Rome, GA vs $3,533 in Samara, rent included.

  • Rome, GA $3,195
  • Samara $3,533

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Rome, GA vs $5,034 in Samara, rent included.

  • Rome, GA $4,122
  • Samara $5,034

Rome, GA costs about 12% more than Samara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rome, GA and Samara sit above the global median – Rome, GA by 67%, Samara by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.58 $13.58
$11.07 ₡4,997
22.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.76 $49.76
$62.2 ₡28.1K
-19.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.16 $9.16
$11.70 ₡5,282
-21.71%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$4.34 ₡1,960
30.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.72 ₡1,229
2.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.92 ₡866
23.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 $4.87
$3.32 ₡1,501
46.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.18 $6.18
$4.51 ₡2,036
37.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$2.42 ₡1,095
-57.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.11 $3.11
$3.05 ₡1,376
1.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.58 $4.58
$2.50 ₡1,129
83.20%
Eggs
$4.12 $4.12
$3.46 ₡1,561
19.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.49 $7.49
$10.78 ₡4,868
-30.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.38 $7.38
$10.49 ₡4,736
-29.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.44 $9.44
$10.82 ₡4,885
-12.75%
Apples (1kg)
$6.18 $6.18
$5.01 ₡2,263
23.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 $1.19
$1.65 ₡745
-27.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 $2.79
$4.72 ₡2,129
-40.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.03 $4.03
$3.82 ₡1,723
5.50%
Potato (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$3.72 ₡1,679
-0.54%
Onion (1kg)
$5.20 $5.20
$3.69 ₡1,665
40.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.08 ₡487
69.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$3.09 ₡1,397
-39.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.56 $7.56
$5.57 ₡2,516
35.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.78 $14.78
$18.86 ₡8,513
-21.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 $1.41
$2.78 ₡1,255
-49.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.48 ₡1,119
-38.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.40 ₡630
40.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.4 $57.4
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.48 ₡1,118
22.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.57 ₡709
-1.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.77 $29.77
$8.51 ₡3,843
249.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.52 ₡686
-35.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$34.3K ₡15.5M
-26.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$41.2K ₡18.6M
-37.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 $248
$94.0 ₡42.4K
163.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.89 $45.89
$35.45 ₡16.0K
29.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.0 $70.0
$59.0 ₡26.6K
18.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.46 $42.46
$66.9 ₡30.2K
-36.48%
Cinema Ticket
$12.41 $12.41
$7.88 ₡3,556
57.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$695 $695
$502 ₡226.4K
38.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.0K $18.0K
$6,013 ₡2.7M
198.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.25 $25.25
$67.1 ₡30.3K
-62.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 $24.80
$55.5 ₡25.1K
-55.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.8 $92.8
$129 ₡58.4K
-28.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 $135
$133 ₡60.0K
1.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,256 $1,256
$1,373 ₡619.7K
-8.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 $1,052
$967 ₡436.4K
8.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,832 $1,832
$3,769 ₡1.7M
-51.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,632 $1,632
$2,611 ₡1.2M
-37.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,754 $1,754
$4,955 ₡2.2M
-64.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,751 $1,751
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rome, GA
Samara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,691 $2,691
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.69
8.62
-22.39%

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

Last update for Rome, GA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Samara: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rome, GA
$1.1K
Samara
$967 8.1% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rome, GA
$364
Samara
$188 48.2% $175
Groceries & Markets
Rome, GA
$324
Samara
$385 18.9% $61
Eating Out
Rome, GA
$261
Samara
$220 15.8% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Rome, GA
$125
Samara
$173 38.7% $48
Getting Around
Rome, GA
$76
Samara
$16 * 79.1% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Rome, GA
$67
Samara
$83 22.8% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,256 in Rome, GA versus $1,373 in Samara. 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 $50 in Rome, GA versus $62 in Samara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $385 – making Rome, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Rome, GA
🇨🇷 Samara
🕒 Local time
14:15 2:15 PM
13:15 1:15 PM
1 h behind Rome, GA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,127
1,071
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rome, GA Samara 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rome, GA
  • Samara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Rome, GA vs Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Rome, GA and in Samara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,269 in Rome, GA, $2,032 in Samara – Samara comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Rome, GA compared to Samara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,404 per month in Rome, GA and $3,048 in Samara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Rome, GA and in Samara?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,256 in Rome, GA and $1,373 in Samara. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Rome, GA and $62 in Samara. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Rome, GA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
How far does $3,000 go in Rome, GA compared to Samara?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,269 in Rome, GA and $2,032 in Samara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Rome, GA and Samara?
It depends on your priorities. Samara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,032 in Samara to $2,269 in Rome, GA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Rome, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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