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 $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,543 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $2,324 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $3,105 in Costa Rica, rent included.

United States costs about 71% more than 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 97%, Costa Rica by 15%.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Costa Rica ($1,133–$2,084), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$9.97 ₡4,556

101.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$59.4 ₡27.1K

28.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$9.74 ₡4,452

17.25%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.94 ₡1,799

36.80%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.11 ₡964

20.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.65 ₡756

23.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.92 ₡1,333

110.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.39 ₡2,006

63.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.07 ₡944

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.17 ₡1,448

15.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.41 ₡1,103

96.27%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$3.34 ₡1,525

31.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$9.24 ₡4,221

38.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$9.40 ₡4,296

32.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$13.56 ₡6,197

21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.48 ₡2,046

20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.56 ₡711

5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.36 ₡1,534

36.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.08 ₡1,408

59.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.89 ₡1,322

1.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.86 ₡1,307

9.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.03 ₡469

119.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.52 ₡1,151

-8.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$4.90 ₡2,237

101.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$16.18 ₡7,392

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.39 ₡1,091

-20.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.78 ₡1,269

31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.94 ₡430

163.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$49.22 ₡22.5K

31.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.87 ₡852

105.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.01 ₡920

-12.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$7.61 ₡3,477

301.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.51 ₡689

-36.42%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$36.3K ₡16.6M

-16.08%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.7K ₡16.3M

-26.06%

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

$204 $204

$88.7 ₡40.5K

130.08%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$25.67 ₡11.7K

123.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$53.8 ₡24.6K

32.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$57.7 ₡26.4K

-19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$29.09 ₡13.3K

-23.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$9.00 ₡4,113

53.78%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$544 ₡248.5K

154.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$10.0K ₡4.6M

126.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$74.3 ₡33.9K

-28.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$53.2 ₡24.3K

-18.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$120 ₡54.7K

-24.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$101 ₡46.0K

13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$798 ₡364.8K

121.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$534 ₡244.1K

173.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,509 ₡689.7K

87.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$1,041 ₡475.7K

131.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$2,382 ₡1.1M

38.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,603 ₡732.2K

65.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$1,062 ₡485.1K

312.42%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $776 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $879 in San Jose.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $1,098 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 111% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 43% more in United States.

Public transport is 92% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 310% higher in United States, giving United States 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

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

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 100% 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 100% 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.