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 $1,563 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,767 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,401 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,660 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,238 per month in Santa Cruz vs $3,552 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 12% 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 17%, Playa del Coco by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.74 ₡4,885

$15.61 ₡7,099

-31.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 ₡26.7K

$78.4 ₡35.6K

-25.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,503

$10.00 ₡4,549

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ₡1,741

$7.10 ₡3,229

-46.06%

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

$1.99 ₡906

$2.44 ₡1,110

-18.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡751

$1.84 ₡837

-10.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ₡1,348

$3.31 ₡1,505

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ₡2,115

$6.01 ₡2,731

-22.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡888

$2.50 ₡1,136

-22.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,258

$2.87 ₡1,306

-3.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₡969

$2.21 ₡1,003

-3.62%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,355

$2.91 ₡1,324

2.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₡4,641

$8.29 ₡3,770

23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 ₡4,155

$12.73 ₡5,791

-28.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 ₡6,231

$13.48 ₡6,132

1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,086

$4.55 ₡2,069

0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ₡428

$1.44 ₡656

-34.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,985

$4.14 ₡1,881

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₡1,580

$1.66 ₡753

109.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ₡1,608

$3.42 ₡1,554

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,450

$3.02 ₡1,373

5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡433

$1.02 ₡463

-6.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,290

$2.90 ₡1,320

-2.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.21 ₡2,370

$4.90 ₡2,230

6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.15 ₡10.1K

$16.70 ₡7,593

32.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,098

$2.11 ₡957

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,332

$2.53 ₡1,150

15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡445

$1.22 ₡555

-19.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡843

$2.91 ₡1,323

-36.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡817

$1.77 ₡807

1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₡3,499

$7.68 ₡3,491

0.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡658

$1.81 ₡822

-19.89%

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

$38.4K ₡17.4M

$37.2K ₡16.9M

3.23%

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

$32.1K ₡14.6M

$32.3K ₡14.7M

-0.67%

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

$93.6 ₡42.6K

$177 ₡80.4K

-47.08%

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

$26.04 ₡11.8K

$25.55 ₡11.6K

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 ₡24.0K

$60.3 ₡27.4K

-12.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.3K

$56.4 ₡25.6K

2.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 ₡10.8K

$23.50 ₡10.7K

0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ₡2,724

$9.99 ₡4,542

-40.04%

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

$579 ₡263.2K

$531 ₡241.5K

8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$12.5K ₡5.7M

1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.5K

$62.0 ₡28.2K

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ₡23.1K

$52.4 ₡23.8K

-2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.2K

$128 ₡58.1K

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.8K

$106 ₡48.3K

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡352.8K

$754 ₡342.7K

2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₡268.5K

$587 ₡266.9K

0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 ₡679.7K

$1,536 ₡698.5K

-2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 ₡432.6K

$961 ₡437.0K

-1.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 ₡146.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 ₡345.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Santa Cruz versus $754 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 $78.0 in Playa del Coco. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Santa Cruz vs $364 in Playa del Coco – so Playa del Coco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 13% 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 $2,345 per month in Santa Cruz and $2,650 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 $78.0 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 1% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $1,563, than in Playa del Coco at $1,767. 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.