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 $1,642 per month in Spain vs $1,535 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,393 per month in Spain vs $2,322 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,144 per month in Spain vs $3,108 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 7% higher than in 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%.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($1,125–$3,182) than in Costa Rica ($1,125–$2,081), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 €14.42

$10.10 ₡4,518

62.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 €50.9

$60.1 ₡26.9K

-3.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 €9.27

$10.12 ₡4,529

4.64%

Cappuccino

$2.30 €2.01

$3.90 ₡1,743

-41.03%

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

$2.59 €2.27

$2.20 ₡985

17.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.65

$1.67 ₡745

12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.98

$3.06 ₡1,371

11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.47

$4.41 ₡1,975

-9.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.10 ₡939

-43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 €1.35

$3.22 ₡1,441

-52.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.40

$2.50 ₡1,118

-36.40%

Eggs

$3.05 €2.67

$3.37 ₡1,509

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 €12.59

$9.57 ₡4,279

50.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 €7.40

$9.44 ₡4,224

-10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 €13.96

$13.43 ₡6,009

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$4.67 ₡2,090

-45.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.57 ₡701

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$3.20 ₡1,432

-36.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 €2.33

$2.98 ₡1,334

-10.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.59

$2.98 ₡1,332

-38.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 €1.65

$2.83 ₡1,268

-33.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.18

$1.01 ₡453

33.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.66

$2.50 ₡1,121

-70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 €5.56

$5.09 ₡2,277

24.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.04

$16.14 ₡7,219

-64.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.14

$2.35 ₡1,050

-44.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.85

$2.81 ₡1,258

-24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.01 ₡453

70.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 €30.75

$49.99 ₡22.4K

-29.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 €4.00

$1.87 ₡835

143.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 €1.14

$1.97 ₡880

-34.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.70 €23.39

$7.61 ₡3,406

250.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.44 ₡646

25.69%

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

$39.2K €34.4K

$36.5K ₡16.3M

7.58%

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

$30.6K €26.8K

$35.4K ₡15.8M

-13.54%

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

$153 €134

$87.3 ₡39.1K

74.70%

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

$20.36 €17.84

$25.16 ₡11.3K

-19.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.00 €29.78

$53.0 ₡23.7K

-35.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.13 €42.15

$57.4 ₡25.7K

-16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 €14.13

$28.74 ₡12.9K

-43.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 €8.21

$9.04 ₡4,046

3.65%

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

$520 €455

$553 ₡247.4K

-5.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,909

$9,994 ₡4.5M

1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 €75.3

$71.6 ₡32.0K

19.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 €32.18

$53.2 ₡23.8K

-30.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 €80.3

$119 ₡53.1K

-22.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.9

$102 ₡45.7K

5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 €913

$809 ₡361.7K

28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 €730

$544 ₡243.1K

53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 €1,466

$1,466 ₡656.0K

14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,071

$1,018 ₡455.3K

20.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 €3,642

$2,398 ₡1.1M

73.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,629 €2,303

$1,638 ₡732.9K

60.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,965 €1,721

$1,067 ₡477.4K

84.12%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $897 in Spain vs $750 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,607 in Madrid and $860 in San Jose.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $1,096 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 20% higher in Spain.

Public transport is 154% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 81% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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 34% 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 34% 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.