Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana and Playa del Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana and Playa del Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,004 per month in Santa Ana vs $1,747 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,293 per month in Santa Ana vs $2,752 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Santa Ana vs $3,758 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

Santa Ana costs about 15% more than Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Santa Ana and Playa del Coco sit above the global median – Santa Ana by 47%, Playa del Coco by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 ₡5,539

$18.10 ₡8,044

-31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₡26.5K

$56.8 ₡25.2K

4.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 ₡5,166

$11.00 ₡4,891

5.64%

Cappuccino

$4.29 ₡1,906

$4.24 ₡1,885

1.18%

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

$2.20 ₡980

$2.64 ₡1,175

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₡623

$1.72 ₡764

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 ₡1,452

$3.55 ₡1,578

-7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ₡1,996

$6.22 ₡2,764

-27.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₡994

$2.33 ₡1,035

-3.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ₡1,413

$2.53 ₡1,123

25.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,124

$2.51 ₡1,114

0.80%

Eggs

$3.62 ₡1,608

$3.45 ₡1,535

4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 ₡4,732

$10.61 ₡4,716

0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 ₡4,604

$10.52 ₡4,677

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 ₡6,348

$16.25 ₡7,221

-12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 ₡2,259

$4.64 ₡2,062

9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡732

$1.81 ₡804

-8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 ₡2,168

$3.17 ₡1,407

53.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 ₡1,717

$3.57 ₡1,588

8.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ₡1,771

$3.26 ₡1,451

22.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 ₡1,694

$3.09 ₡1,372

23.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡480

$0.96 ₡425

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₡839

$2.34 ₡1,039

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 ₡2,607

$5.74 ₡2,549

2.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.03 ₡8,014

$16.43 ₡7,301

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,241

$2.68 ₡1,190

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₡1,178

$2.66 ₡1,180

-0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ₡605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₡1,072

$3.41 ₡1,516

-29.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ₡722

$1.63 ₡723

-0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₡3,946

$9.68 ₡4,304

-8.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡690

$1.98 ₡879

-21.72%

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

$21.6K ₡9.6M

$21.1K ₡9.4M

2.49%

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

$34.3K ₡15.2M

$32.6K ₡14.5M

5.26%

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

$96.2 ₡42.8K

$95.2 ₡42.3K

1.08%

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

$33.40 ₡14.8K

$30.38 ₡13.5K

9.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.68 ₡22.1K

$59.7 ₡26.5K

-16.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$162 ₡72.1K

$74.4 ₡33.0K

118.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.80 ₡9,690

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 ₡3,725

$8.53 ₡3,792

-1.76%

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

$1,004 ₡446.3K

$813 ₡361.3K

23.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.5M

$17.1K ₡7.6M

-1.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 ₡30.1K

$78.8 ₡35.0K

-14.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 ₡25.5K

$57.3 ₡25.5K

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.4K

$119 ₡52.9K

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 ₡59.7K

$140 ₡62.3K

-4.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 ₡485.9K

$716 ₡318.1K

52.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ₡393.2K

$619 ₡275.1K

42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,021 ₡1.3M

$2,136 ₡949.3K

41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 ₡836.3K

$1,168 ₡519.1K

61.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 ₡1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 ₡745.6K

$330 ₡146.5K

408.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,416 ₡629.2K

$779 ₡346.2K

81.73%

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 Santa Ana: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,093 in Santa Ana 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.

Salaries run about 82% higher in Santa Ana, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Santa Ana versus $57.0 in Playa del Coco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 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

Santa Ana vs Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Ana costs about 15% more than Playa del Coco, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,006 per month in Santa Ana 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.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Santa Ana, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Coco, where all-in costs run around $1,747, than in Santa Ana at $2,004. In Playa del Coco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Ana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Coco costs $1,747 versus $2,004 in Santa Ana. 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, Santa Ana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.