Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Vincent And The Grenadines and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Vincent And The Grenadines and Costa Rica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs $1,536 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs $2,326 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,829 per month in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs $3,116 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines is roughly 18% cheaper than Costa Rica on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines sits 6% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Costa Rica has a wider regional cost range ($1,137$2,043) than Saint Vincent And The Grenadines ($1,213$1,305), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Costa Rica.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.30 EC$19.72
$9.72 ₡4,426
-24.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.7 EC$191
$59.2 ₡26.9K
19.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.13 EC$30.05
$9.80 ₡4,462
13.57%
Cappuccino
$3.41 EC$9.22
$3.93 ₡1,790
-13.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 EC$4.89
$2.17 ₡987
-16.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 EC$4.85
$1.71 ₡779
5.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.88 EC$5.08
$3.05 ₡1,387
-38.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 EC$9.90
$4.49 ₡2,045
-18.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.30 EC$8.92
$2.02 ₡918
63.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.94 EC$5.24
$3.14 ₡1,429
-38.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 EC$4.72
$2.41 ₡1,099
-27.39%
Eggs
$4.46 EC$12.03
$3.39 ₡1,544
31.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 EC$35.52
$9.41 ₡4,284
39.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.81 EC$15.69
$9.35 ₡4,256
-37.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.33 EC$35.98
$13.59 ₡6,187
-1.91%
Apples (1kg)
$12.28 EC$33.16
$4.47 ₡2,037
174.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.97 EC$8.02
$1.60 ₡728
85.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$9.12 EC$24.62
$3.33 ₡1,518
173.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.05 EC$16.33
$3.05 ₡1,390
98.36%
Potato (1kg)
$4.97 EC$13.43
$3.04 ₡1,386
63.49%
Onion (1kg)
$4.00 EC$10.81
$2.71 ₡1,233
47.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.48 EC$12.11
$0.98 ₡448
357.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.25 EC$8.76
$2.54 ₡1,155
27.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 EC$12.27
$5.06 ₡2,305
-10.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.77 EC$45.29
$16.34 ₡7,441
2.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 EC$6.77
$2.31 ₡1,050
8.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 EC$7.36
$2.83 ₡1,290
-3.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 EC$4.03
$0.95 ₡433
56.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.1 EC$162
$48.79 ₡22.2K
23.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.25 EC$30.37
$1.79 ₡817
528.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 EC$5.12
$1.95 ₡887
-2.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.41 EC$101
$7.73 ₡3,522
383.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$4.34 EC$11.72
$1.52 ₡691
185.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K EC$89.4K
$37.4K ₡17.0M
-11.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K EC$67.1K
$35.6K ₡16.2M
-30.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.3 EC$217
$89.2 ₡40.6K
-9.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.36 EC$76.6
$25.68 ₡11.7K
10.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.2 EC$152
$54.3 ₡24.7K
3.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.37 EC$79.3
$56.0 ₡25.5K
-47.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.49 EC$25.61
$29.40 ₡13.4K
-67.72%
Cinema Ticket
$5.60 EC$15.12
$9.20 ₡4,191
-39.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$141 EC$381
$559 ₡254.6K
-74.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,839 ₡4.5M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.8 EC$245
$72.0 ₡32.8K
26.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$94.1 EC$254
$54.0 ₡24.6K
74.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 EC$371
$121 ₡55.1K
13.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 EC$312
$104 ₡47.3K
11.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$408 EC$1,100
$794 ₡361.6K
-48.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 EC$805
$547 ₡249.0K
-45.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 EC$4,275
$1,466 ₡667.8K
7.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$583 EC$1,573
$1,046 ₡476.4K
-44.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$593 EC$1,602
$2,328 ₡1.1M
-74.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$602 EC$1,625
$1,604 ₡730.6K
-62.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Costa Rica
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,033 EC$2,788
$1,115 ₡507.6K
-7.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.75
10.53
-7.41%

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

Last update for Saint Vincent And The Grenadines: April 22, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $315 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs $778 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $333 in Kingstown and $871 in San Jose.

Average salary: $1,033 in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs $1,113 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 147% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 46% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 515% more expensive in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines.

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
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 26% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
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.
How do daily expenses compare in Costa Rica vs Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, contributing to the overall 26% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Costa Rica and Saint Vincent And The Grenadines on $1,500 per month?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Costa Rica or Saint Vincent And The Grenadines?
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines 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.

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines vs other spots: cost of living compared

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