Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamarindo and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $2,127 in Tamarindo, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Tamarindo
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Tamarindo Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Tamarindo

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,127

/mo nomad

Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$1,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tamarindo and in Lima

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tamarindo and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,127 in Tamarindo versus $1,012 in Lima.

Tamarindo $2,127
Lima $1,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,081 in Tamarindo versus $1,589 in Lima.

Tamarindo $3,081
Lima $1,589

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,035 in Tamarindo versus $2,167 in Lima.

Tamarindo $4,035
Lima $2,167

Living in Tamarindo is roughly 110% more expensive than in Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tamarindo is 58% above, Lima is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 ₡5,463

$4.40 PEN 15.10

176.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡28.0K

$35.17 PEN 121

77.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 ₡5,324

$6.89 PEN 23.65

72.28%

Cappuccino

$4.34 ₡1,948

$3.26 PEN 11.20

33.13%

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

$2.65 ₡1,188

$1.12 PEN 3.84

136.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡856

$0.62 PEN 2.11

208.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 ₡1,465

$2.65 PEN 9.09

23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ₡2,043

$4.41 PEN 15.15

3.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,085

$1.63 PEN 5.61

48.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,400

$2.56 PEN 8.78

21.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,088

$1.35 PEN 4.65

79.26%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,556

$2.90 PEN 9.96

19.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₡4,721

$8.85 PEN 30.38

18.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,716

$5.98 PEN 20.52

75.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 ₡6,354

$9.78 PEN 33.59

44.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 ₡2,336

$2.05 PEN 7.02

154.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₡717

$1.06 PEN 3.66

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 ₡1,588

$1.35 PEN 4.64

162.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 ₡1,747

$1.50 PEN 5.15

160.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ₡1,141

$0.88 PEN 3.03

189.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,665

$0.92 PEN 3.15

303.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡487

$0.89 PEN 3.07

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₡1,376

$0.90 PEN 3.10

241.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 ₡2,331

$5.90 PEN 20.27

-11.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 ₡5,912

$8.52 PEN 29.26

54.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,249

$1.88 PEN 6.45

47.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₡1,385

$3.22 PEN 11.05

-4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 ₡929

$0.68 PEN 2.33

204.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 ₡38.3K

$26.86 PEN 92.2

217.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₡1,065

$3.81 PEN 13.09

-37.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡729

$2.02 PEN 6.93

-19.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 ₡2,978

$7.11 PEN 24.41

-6.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡675

$1.72 PEN 5.91

-12.79%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$22.3K PEN 76.6K

0.24%

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

$34.7K ₡15.6M

$25.5K PEN 87.6K

36.10%

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

$93.5 ₡41.9K

$73.1 PEN 251

28.01%

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

$30.01 ₡13.5K

$16.35 PEN 56.2

83.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 ₡26.5K

$27.47 PEN 94.3

115.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 ₡45.3K

$31.90 PEN 110

216.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.01 ₡11.7K

$19.41 PEN 66.7

34.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₡3,543

$7.05 PEN 24.23

12.06%

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

$575 ₡257.7K

$182 PEN 627

214.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,081 ₡4.1M

$13.0K PEN 44.8K

-30.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡32.1K

$53.8 PEN 185

32.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ₡11.8K

$34.32 PEN 118

-23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡53.7K

$82.8 PEN 284

44.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.9K

$78.2 PEN 269

67.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,921 ₡861.5K

$721 PEN 2,476

166.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡430.6K

$343 PEN 1,179

179.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 ₡1.2M

$1,219 PEN 4,186

124.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 ₡614.9K

$651 PEN 2,235

110.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,341 ₡2.4M

$2,414 PEN 8,292

121.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,241 ₡1.5M

$1,357 PEN 4,660

138.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 ₡425.7K

$648 PEN 2,226

46.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

8.94

-3.58%

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

Last update for Tamarindo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tamarindo

$960 45.1%

Lima

$343 33.9% 64.2% $617

Groceries & Markets

Tamarindo

$378 17.8%

Lima

$226 22.3% 40.2% $152

Eating Out

Tamarindo

$229 10.8%

Lima

$124 12.3% 45.8% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tamarindo

$183 8.6%

Lima

$117 11.6% 36% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Tamarindo

$157 7.4%

Lima

$112 11.1% 28.6% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Tamarindo

$117 5.5%

Lima

$46 4.6% 60.6% $71

Getting Around

Tamarindo

$104 4.9%

Lima

$43 4.3% 58.3% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,921 in Tamarindo and $721 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tamarindo pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $62.0 in Tamarindo vs $35.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $226 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Tamarindo

🇵🇪 Lima

🕒 Local time

19:33 7:33 PM

20:33 8:33 PM

1 h ahead of Tamarindo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,000

9,989,369 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tamarindo Lima 2,670 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Tamarindo
Lima

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tamarindo and Lima differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($2,127 vs $1,012 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Tamarindo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,921 in Tamarindo versus $721 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $575 in Tamarindo versus $182 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Tamarindo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,012 in Lima versus $2,127 in Tamarindo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Tamarindo. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tamarindo and Lima 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 Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Tamarindo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.