Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,646 per month in Spain vs $1,543 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,401 per month in Spain vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,155 per month in Spain vs $3,105 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Spain costs about 7% more than Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Spain and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – Spain by 23%, Costa Rica by 15%.

Spain has a wider regional cost range ($1,133–$3,262) than Costa Rica ($1,133–$2,084), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Spain.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.92

$9.97 ₡4,556

62.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €49.31

$59.4 ₡27.1K

-3.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 €9.14

$9.74 ₡4,452

9.03%

Cappuccino

$2.38 €2.05

$3.94 ₡1,799

-39.59%

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

$2.59 €2.23

$2.11 ₡964

22.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.65 ₡756

15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.92 ₡1,333

19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.47

$4.39 ₡2,006

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$2.07 ₡944

-40.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 €1.37

$3.17 ₡1,448

-49.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.41 ₡1,103

-34.02%

Eggs

$3.05 €2.63

$3.34 ₡1,525

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.55 €12.53

$9.24 ₡4,221

57.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.25

$9.40 ₡4,296

-10.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.36

$13.56 ₡6,197

14.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$4.48 ₡2,046

-43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.56 ₡711

28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$3.36 ₡1,534

-37.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$3.08 ₡1,408

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.89 ₡1,322

-35.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.86 ₡1,307

-33.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.03 ₡469

31.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.64

$2.52 ₡1,151

-70.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 €5.47

$4.90 ₡2,237

29.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 €4.87

$16.18 ₡7,392

-65.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$2.39 ₡1,091

-47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.78 ₡1,269

-25.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.46

$0.94 ₡430

79.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.10 €30.22

$49.22 ₡22.5K

-28.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 €3.80

$1.87 ₡852

136.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.15

$2.01 ₡920

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.32 €22.66

$7.61 ₡3,477

245.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.51 ₡689

21.85%

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

$38.8K €33.4K

$36.3K ₡16.6M

6.86%

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

$31.6K €27.2K

$35.7K ₡16.3M

-11.34%

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

$150 €130

$88.7 ₡40.5K

69.54%

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

$20.56 €17.70

$25.67 ₡11.7K

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.49 €29.70

$53.8 ₡24.6K

-35.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 €41.29

$57.7 ₡26.4K

-16.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 €13.81

$29.09 ₡13.3K

-44.83%

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 €7.74

$9.00 ₡4,113

-0.11%

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

$509 €438

$544 ₡248.5K

-6.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,884 €8,509

$10.0K ₡4.6M

-1.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 €74.5

$74.3 ₡33.9K

16.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.14 €31.98

$53.2 ₡24.3K

-30.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 €79.2

$120 ₡54.7K

-23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €93.7

$101 ₡46.0K

8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 €900

$798 ₡364.8K

30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 €718

$534 ₡244.1K

56.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 €1,454

$1,509 ₡689.7K

11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,066

$1,041 ₡475.7K

18.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,378 €3,769

$2,382 ₡1.1M

83.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,747 €2,365

$1,603 ₡732.2K

71.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,073 €1,785

$1,062 ₡485.1K

95.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.51

10.53

-66.67%

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

Last update for Spain: May 30, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $776 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,566 in Madrid and $879 in San Jose.

Average salary: $2,030 in Spain vs $1,098 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Spain.

Public transport is 154% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 85% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

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

Spain vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 37% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 37% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Costa Rica 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.