Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamarindo and Asti Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamarindo and Asti

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,813 in Tamarindo versus $1,674 in Asti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,519 in Tamarindo versus $2,324 in Asti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,226 in Tamarindo versus $2,974 in Asti.

Living in Tamarindo is roughly 8% more expensive than in Asti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tamarindo 36% above, Asti 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 ₡4,921

$17.52 €15.34

-37.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡26.8K

$61.2 €53.6

-2.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ₡4,200

$11.54 €10.11

-18.63%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₡1,751

$1.71 €1.49

128.65%

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

$2.07 ₡924

$2.95 €2.58

-29.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₡714

$1.19 €1.05

34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,348

$5.91 €5.17

-49.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 ₡2,103

$3.98 €3.49

18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡874

$1.55 €1.36

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 ₡1,248

$1.81 €1.58

54.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡959

$2.74 €2.40

-21.90%

Eggs

$3.00 ₡1,343

$3.49 €3.06

-14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 ₡4,523

$18.58 €16.27

-45.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 ₡4,140

$12.64 €11.07

-26.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 ₡6,019

$21.93 €19.21

-38.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 ₡2,057

$2.11 €1.85

118.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡648

$1.73 €1.52

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,431

$2.62 €2.30

22.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,597

$3.15 €2.76

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,025

$1.89 €1.65

21.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₡1,320

$1.62 €1.42

82.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡430

$1.25 €1.09

-23.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,280

$0.42 €0.37

580.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ₡2,238

$6.84 €5.99

-26.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 ₡5,845

$6.32 €5.54

106.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.92 €1.68

30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,314

$2.37 €2.08

24.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 ₡833

$1.77 €1.55

5.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 ₡25.7K

$42.89 €37.56

34.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ₡808

$4.09 €3.58

-55.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡799

$2.05 €1.80

-12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 ₡2,487

$11.54 €10.11

-51.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡653

$2.01 €1.76

-27.36%

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

$35.3K ₡15.8M

$27.0K €23.6K

30.82%

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

$32.7K ₡14.6M

$35.9K €31.5K

-8.94%

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

$93.2 ₡41.7K

$176 €154

-47.10%

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

$22.43 ₡10.0K

$10.27 €9.00

118.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 ₡23.9K

$28.89 €25.30

85.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.9 ₡44.7K

$77.4 €67.8

29.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.72 ₡10.6K

$22.69 €19.88

4.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 ₡3,161

$10.38 €9.09

-31.89%

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

$518 ₡231.8K

$569 €498

-8.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,686 ₡3.9M

$13.0K €11.4K

-33.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡27.7K

$77.2 €67.6

-19.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.96 ₡10.7K

$40.72 €35.66

-41.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ₡48.3K

$88.7 €77.7

21.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡48.4K

$134 €117

-19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 ₡342.4K

$522 €457

46.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡358.3K

$578 €506

38.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,042 ₡1.4M

$686 €601

343.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 ₡397.1K

$511 €447

73.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,447 ₡2.4M

$2,410 €2,111

126.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,182 ₡1.4M

$1,358 €1,190

134.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 ₡421.2K

$1,870 €1,638

-49.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

87.50%

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

Last update for Tamarindo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Asti: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $765 in Tamarindo and $522 in Asti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asti pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Tamarindo vs $61.0 in Asti. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $336, with Asti cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tamarindo vs Asti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asti is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Asti. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $765 in Tamarindo versus $522 in Asti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Asti – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $60.0 in Tamarindo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,813 per month in Tamarindo versus $1,674 in Asti – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,674 in Asti versus $1,813 in Tamarindo, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Asti but tight or insufficient in Tamarindo. The gap between the two cities makes Asti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Asti is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tamarindo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tamarindo and Asti are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Asti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Tamarindo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.