Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Turrialba and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Turrialba: $1,726 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Turrialba
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Turrialba Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Turrialba

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,726

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Turrialba and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,726 in Turrialba versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Turrialba $1,726
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,753 in Turrialba versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Turrialba $2,753
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,779 in Turrialba versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Turrialba $3,779
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Turrialba costs roughly 36% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Turrialba 27% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 ₡5,370

$20.63 $20.63

-41.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$84.6 $84.6

-27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 ₡5,283

$12.07 $12.07

-2.40%

Cappuccino

$4.34 ₡1,946

$5.48 $5.48

-20.80%

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

$2.75 ₡1,233

$3.80 $3.80

-27.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡871

$2.47 $2.47

-21.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,488

$8.05 $8.05

-58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ₡1,973

$8.88 $8.88

-50.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.11 $1.11

111.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 ₡1,372

$3.72 $3.72

-17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,134

$3.37 $3.37

-24.93%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,612

$4.32 $4.32

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,726

$13.13 $13.13

-19.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,630

$14.15 $14.15

-27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ₡6,352

$16.33 $16.33

-13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,273

$4.55 $4.55

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡705

$1.46 $1.46

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,124

$4.71 $4.71

0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 ₡1,782

$4.15 $4.15

-4.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,754

$2.58 $2.58

51.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,663

$2.35 $2.35

57.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡505

$1.77 $1.77

-36.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,431

$2.14 $2.14

49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 ₡2,724

$10.10 $10.10

-39.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 ₡9,076

$15.19 $15.19

33.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,274

$2.82 $2.82

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₡1,613

$3.44 $3.44

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ₡574

$1.54 $1.54

-16.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 ₡1,101

$2.80 $2.80

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.60 $1.60

-1.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 ₡3,948

$34.34 $34.34

-74.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡671

$0.94 $0.94

59.57%

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

$22.2K ₡10.0M

$34.0K $34.0K

-34.54%

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

$34.6K ₡15.5M

$26.8K $26.8K

29.09%

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

$96.4 ₡43.2K

$223 $223

-56.69%

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

$35.27 ₡15.8K

$58.9 $58.9

-40.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 ₡26.5K

$70.6 $70.6

-16.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.7 ₡33.0K

$57.7 $57.7

27.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 ₡3,527

$14.26 $14.26

-44.81%

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

$993 ₡445.3K

$1,511 $1,511

-34.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ₡7.8M

$20.9K $20.9K

-17.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 ₡32.3K

$51.3 $51.3

40.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 ₡25.3K

$44.17 $44.17

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$87.0 $87.0

47.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 ₡60.1K

$104 $104

28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 ₡362.3K

$1,940 $1,940

-58.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₡280.7K

$1,316 $1,316

-52.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 ₡838.7K

$3,664 $3,664

-48.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 ₡577.2K

$2,565 $2,565

-49.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Turrialba: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Turrialba

$626 36.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 110% $690

Groceries & Markets

Turrialba

$402 23.3%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 1.1% $4.3

Eating Out

Turrialba

$227 13.2%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 54% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Turrialba

$191 11.1%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 84.5% $161

Clothing & Footwear

Turrialba

$176 10.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 26.6% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Turrialba

$89 5.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 3.5% $3.2

Getting Around

Turrialba

$15 * 0.9%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 276% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $808 in Turrialba and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Turrialba vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $406 per month, with Turrialba cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Turrialba

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

07:08 7:08 AM

1 h ahead of Turrialba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Turrialba Austin, TX 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Turrialba
Austin, TX

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

Turrialba vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turrialba wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Turrialba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,589 in Turrialba and $4,046 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $808 in Turrialba versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $993 in Turrialba versus $1,511 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Turrialba – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,726 in Turrialba versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Turrialba but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Turrialba 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, Turrialba and Austin, TX 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 Turrialba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.