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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,747 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,739 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,752 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,747 per month in Santa Cruz vs $3,758 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 1% cheaper than Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Cruz and Playa del Coco sit above the global median – Santa Cruz by 26%, Playa del Coco by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 ₡5,329

$18.10 ₡8,044

-33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ₡26.4K

$56.8 ₡25.2K

4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.27 ₡5,010

$11.00 ₡4,891

2.45%

Cappuccino

$4.50 ₡2,000

$4.24 ₡1,885

6.13%

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

$2.27 ₡1,010

$2.64 ₡1,175

-14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₡844

$1.72 ₡764

10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 ₡1,492

$3.55 ₡1,578

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,967

$6.22 ₡2,764

-28.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ₡1,035

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,407

$2.53 ₡1,123

25.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,126

$2.51 ₡1,114

0.80%

Eggs

$3.44 ₡1,529

$3.45 ₡1,535

-0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 ₡4,882

$10.61 ₡4,716

3.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 ₡4,708

$10.52 ₡4,677

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.19 ₡6,307

$16.25 ₡7,221

-12.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 ₡2,327

$4.64 ₡2,062

12.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡499

$1.81 ₡804

-38.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,174

$3.17 ₡1,407

54.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 ₡1,719

$3.57 ₡1,588

8.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ₡1,725

$3.26 ₡1,451

19.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,671

$3.09 ₡1,372

21.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡481

$0.96 ₡425

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 ₡1,403

$2.34 ₡1,039

35.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,607

$5.74 ₡2,549

2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 ₡8,947

$16.43 ₡7,301

22.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,313

$2.68 ₡1,190

10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₡1,584

$2.66 ₡1,180

33.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡581

$1.36 ₡605

-3.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ₡1,119

$3.41 ₡1,516

-26.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 ₡728

$1.63 ₡723

0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₡4,003

$9.68 ₡4,304

-6.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡657

$1.98 ₡879

-25.25%

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

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$21.1K ₡9.4M

4.66%

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

$35.6K ₡15.8M

$32.6K ₡14.5M

9.37%

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

$96.7 ₡43.0K

$95.2 ₡42.3K

1.60%

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

$37.32 ₡16.6K

$30.38 ₡13.5K

22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.7K

$59.7 ₡26.5K

0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.9 ₡32.9K

$74.4 ₡33.0K

-0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 ₡3,030

$8.53 ₡3,792

-20.05%

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

$1,002 ₡445.2K

$813 ₡361.3K

23.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$17.1K ₡7.6M

2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 ₡31.7K

$78.8 ₡35.0K

-9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 ₡25.4K

$57.3 ₡25.5K

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.1K

$119 ₡52.9K

9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡59.1K

$140 ₡62.3K

-5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 ₡373.7K

$716 ₡318.1K

17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 ₡300.5K

$619 ₡275.1K

9.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 ₡803.3K

$2,136 ₡949.3K

-15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 ₡644.5K

$1,168 ₡519.1K

24.17%

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 Santa Cruz: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $841 in Santa Cruz 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 $59.0 in Santa Cruz versus $57.0 in Playa del Coco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 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 Cruz vs Playa del Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 1% more than Santa Cruz, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,596 per month in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz, 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 $59.0 in Santa Cruz and $57.0 in Playa del Coco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Playa del Coco – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $1,730, than in Playa del Coco at $1,747. In Santa Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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