Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in United States vs $1,535 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $2,322 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $3,108 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 72% higher than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – United States by 98%, Costa Rica by 15%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($1,335–$5,182) than in Costa Rica ($1,125–$2,081), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$10.10 ₡4,518

94.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$60.1 ₡26.9K

25.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$10.12 ₡4,529

14.33%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.90 ₡1,743

33.85%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.20 ₡985

13.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.67 ₡745

23.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.06 ₡1,371

93.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$4.41 ₡1,975

61.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.10 ₡939

-48.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.22 ₡1,441

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.50 ₡1,118

89.60%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.37 ₡1,509

28.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$9.57 ₡4,279

32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$9.44 ₡4,224

30.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$13.43 ₡6,009

23.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.67 ₡2,090

10.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.57 ₡701

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.20 ₡1,432

39.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.98 ₡1,334

61.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.98 ₡1,332

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.83 ₡1,268

9.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.01 ₡453

119.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.50 ₡1,121

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$5.09 ₡2,277

94.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.14 ₡7,219

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.35 ₡1,050

-18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.81 ₡1,258

27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.01 ₡453

143.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$49.99 ₡22.4K

29.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.87 ₡835

101.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.97 ₡880

-13.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$7.61 ₡3,406

295.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.44 ₡646

-33.33%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$36.5K ₡16.3M

-18.15%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$35.4K ₡15.8M

-26.16%

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

$210 $210

$87.3 ₡39.1K

140.66%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$25.16 ₡11.3K

123.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$53.0 ₡23.7K

37.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$57.4 ₡25.7K

-20.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$28.74 ₡12.9K

-24.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$9.04 ₡4,046

55.31%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$553 ₡247.4K

149.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$9,994 ₡4.5M

123.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$71.6 ₡32.0K

-26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$53.2 ₡23.8K

-20.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$119 ₡53.1K

-22.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$102 ₡45.7K

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$809 ₡361.7K

118.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$544 ₡243.1K

169.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,466 ₡656.0K

94.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$1,018 ₡455.3K

132.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$2,398 ₡1.1M

40.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,638 ₡732.9K

62.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$1,067 ₡477.4K

310.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

10.53

-38.18%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $750 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $860 in San Jose.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States 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 118% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 43% more in United States.

Public transport is 92% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 311% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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

United States vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 103% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 103% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in United States 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.