Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Playa del Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,751 per month in San Juan vs $1,747 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in San Juan vs $2,752 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,749 per month in San Juan vs $3,758 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

San Juan and Playa del Coco have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both San Juan and Playa del Coco sit above the global median – San Juan by 28%, Playa del Coco by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,502

$18.10 ₡8,044

-31.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡26.6K

$56.8 ₡25.2K

5.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 ₡5,069

$11.00 ₡4,891

3.73%

Cappuccino

$4.48 ₡1,990

$4.24 ₡1,885

5.66%

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

$2.60 ₡1,157

$2.64 ₡1,175

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡833

$1.72 ₡764

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 ₡1,470

$3.55 ₡1,578

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ₡2,022

$6.22 ₡2,764

-26.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ₡1,038

$2.33 ₡1,035

0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,385

$2.53 ₡1,123

23.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,078

$2.51 ₡1,114

-3.19%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,601

$3.45 ₡1,535

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 ₡4,738

$10.61 ₡4,716

0.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 ₡4,702

$10.52 ₡4,677

0.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 ₡6,407

$16.25 ₡7,221

-11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 ₡2,340

$4.64 ₡2,062

13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡705

$1.81 ₡804

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ₡2,100

$3.17 ₡1,407

48.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 ₡1,762

$3.57 ₡1,588

11.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,755

$3.26 ₡1,451

21.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,689

$3.09 ₡1,372

22.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡486

$0.96 ₡425

13.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₡1,447

$2.34 ₡1,039

39.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 ₡2,731

$5.74 ₡2,549

6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.64 ₡9,174

$16.43 ₡7,301

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,245

$2.68 ₡1,190

4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ₡1,672

$2.66 ₡1,180

41.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ₡570

$1.36 ₡605

-5.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ₡1,130

$3.41 ₡1,516

-25.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡708

$1.63 ₡723

-2.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₡3,893

$9.68 ₡4,304

-9.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡665

$1.98 ₡879

-24.24%

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

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$21.1K ₡9.4M

4.86%

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

$34.4K ₡15.3M

$32.6K ₡14.5M

5.59%

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

$97.5 ₡43.3K

$95.2 ₡42.3K

2.46%

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

$36.69 ₡16.3K

$30.38 ₡13.5K

20.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 ₡28.1K

$59.7 ₡26.5K

6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 ₡30.0K

$74.4 ₡33.0K

-9.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 ₡3,655

$8.53 ₡3,792

-3.63%

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

$1,003 ₡445.6K

$813 ₡361.3K

23.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$17.1K ₡7.6M

2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 ₡32.6K

$78.8 ₡35.0K

-6.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 ₡25.2K

$57.3 ₡25.5K

-1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ₡58.6K

$119 ₡52.9K

10.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡58.8K

$140 ₡62.3K

-5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ₡384.6K

$716 ₡318.1K

20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₡272.8K

$619 ₡275.1K

-0.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 ₡840.1K

$2,136 ₡949.3K

-11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 ₡552.1K

$1,168 ₡519.1K

6.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$330 ₡146.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 ₡346.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $865 in San Juan versus $716 in Playa del Coco. 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 $60.0 in San Juan versus $57.0 in Playa del Coco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $370 – making Playa del Coco 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

San Juan vs Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,626 per month in San Juan and $2,621 in Playa del Coco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Coco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in San Juan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in San Juan and $57.0 in Playa del Coco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Coco, where all-in costs run around $1,747, than in San Juan at $1,751. In Playa del Coco it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Coco costs $1,747 versus $1,751 in San Juan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Playa del Coco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.