Cost of Living Comparison Between Turks And Caicos Islands and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Turks And Caicos Islands and Costa Rica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Turks And Caicos Islands vs $1,533 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,667 per month in Turks And Caicos Islands vs $2,320 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Turks And Caicos Islands vs $3,106 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Turks And Caicos Islands is roughly 31% cheaper than Costa Rica on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Turks And Caicos Islands sits 21% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Turks And Caicos Islands has a wider regional cost range ($0$2,866) than Costa Rica ($1,126$2,034), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Turks And Caicos Islands.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$9.74 ₡4,451
107.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$122 $122
$60.5 ₡27.6K
101.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.02 $10.02
$9.92 ₡4,530
1.01%
Cappuccino
$5.61 $5.61
$4.04 ₡1,848
38.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$2.12 ₡969
28.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$1.64 ₡749
61.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.98 $4.98
$2.92 ₡1,332
70.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.39 $6.39
$4.46 ₡2,036
43.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$5.42 $5.42
$2.09 ₡953
159.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.91 $3.91
$3.18 ₡1,453
22.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$2.41 ₡1,099
-
Eggs
$3.97 $3.97
$3.43 ₡1,567
15.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.88 $26.88
$9.52 ₡4,349
182.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.97 $14.97
$9.22 ₡4,213
62.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.36 $17.36
$13.22 ₡6,041
31.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.92 $3.92
$4.70 ₡2,149
-16.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$1.56 ₡712
71.15%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$3.35 ₡1,528
-
Tomato (1kg)
$6.50 $6.50
$3.00 ₡1,371
116.67%
Potato (1kg)
-
$2.93 ₡1,337
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$2.71 ₡1,240
-28.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$6.35 $6.35
$1.02 ₡464
522.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$2.42 ₡1,106
-17.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.90 $6.90
$5.01 ₡2,287
37.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.81 $19.81
$16.31 ₡7,448
21.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.31 ₡1,053
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.85 ₡1,300
-
🚌 Getting Around
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.94 ₡431
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$49.31 ₡22.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.81 ₡825
67.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.00 ₡913
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$7.43 ₡3,396
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.45 ₡662
50.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$36.3K ₡16.6M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.8K ₡15.9M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$338 $338
$88.1 ₡40.2K
283.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.36 $46.36
$25.36 ₡11.6K
82.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$143 $143
$54.1 ₡24.7K
164.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.4 $98.4
$57.7 ₡26.4K
70.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.04 ₡13.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$9.05 ₡4,134
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$498 $498
$550 ₡251.1K
-9.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,090 $8,090
$10.2K ₡4.7M
-20.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.6 $78.6
$71.5 ₡32.7K
9.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.6 $59.6
$53.9 ₡24.6K
10.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$150 $150
$121 ₡55.1K
24.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 $98.8
$101 ₡46.2K
-2.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,559 $1,559
$812 ₡371.1K
91.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,273 $1,273
$553 ₡252.8K
130.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,000 $3,000
$1,493 ₡681.8K
101.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,578 $2,578
$1,057 ₡483.0K
143.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,263 ₡1.0M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,166 $2,166
$1,634 ₡746.5K
32.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turks And Caicos Islands
Costa Rica
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,613 $4,613
$1,067 ₡487.3K
332.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7
10.53
-33.52%

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

Last update for Turks And Caicos Islands: April 11, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $4,606 in Turks And Caicos Islands 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 28% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 70% more in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 320% higher in Turks And Caicos Islands, giving Turks And Caicos Islands 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
Turks And Caicos Islands vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Costa Rica or Turks And Caicos Islands?
Turks And Caicos Islands is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 10% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Costa Rica or Turks And Caicos Islands?
Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Costa Rica vs Turks And Caicos Islands?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Turks And Caicos Islands, contributing to the overall 10% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Costa Rica and Turks And Caicos Islands on $3,000 per month?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Turks And Caicos Islands, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Costa Rica or Turks And Caicos Islands?
Turks And Caicos Islands 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.

Turks And Caicos Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared

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