Cost of Living Comparison Between Us Virgin Islands and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Us Virgin Islands and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,198 per month in Us Virgin Islands vs $1,660 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,385 per month in Us Virgin Islands vs $2,621 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,572 per month in Us Virgin Islands vs $3,581 in Costa Rica, rent included.

The cost of living in Us Virgin Islands is about 32% higher than in Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Us Virgin Islands and Costa Rica are pricier than the global median – Us Virgin Islands by 59%, Costa Rica by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$10.89 ₡4,874

126.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 $145

$55.8 ₡25.0K

159.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$10.81 ₡4,839

12.49%

Cappuccino

$7.41 $7.41

$4.52 ₡2,021

63.94%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$2.45 ₡1,095

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.89 ₡844

39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$3.30 ₡1,476

116.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$4.61 ₡2,064

50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.42 ₡1,085

12.81%

White Bread (500g)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.60 ₡1,613

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$2.70 ₡1,207

499.26%

Eggs

$8.61 $8.61

$4.01 ₡1,796

114.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.34 $24.34

$10.21 ₡4,568

138.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.38 $25.38

$10.38 ₡4,647

144.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.59 $31.59

$13.83 ₡6,190

128.42%

Apples (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$5.08 ₡2,272

168.70%

Banana (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$1.75 ₡782

335.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$3.52 ₡1,575

224.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$3.23 ₡1,446

313.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$3.34 ₡1,496

43.41%

Onion (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$3.18 ₡1,422

136.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.08 ₡483

447.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.68 ₡1,200

84.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 $7.06

$5.57 ₡2,495

26.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.85 $22.85

$15.23 ₡6,817

50.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.67 ₡1,196

13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.33 ₡1,490

84.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.01 $6.01

$1.09 ₡486

451.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$65.4 ₡29.3K

62.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.76 $19.76

$2.20 ₡983

798.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.94 ₡870

61.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.5 $50.5

$8.87 ₡3,969

469.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.60 ₡718

-15.00%

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

$49.4K $49.4K

$32.7K ₡14.6M

51.42%

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

$53.7K $53.7K

$36.3K ₡16.3M

47.77%

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

$398 $398

$95.2 ₡42.6K

317.89%

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

$89.0 $89.0

$31.50 ₡14.1K

182.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 $86.2

$59.7 ₡26.7K

44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$155 $155

$66.3 ₡29.7K

133.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 ₡10.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$8.21 ₡3,676

44.58%

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

$1,499 $1,499

$726 ₡324.9K

106.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K $16.4K

$12.8K ₡5.7M

28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 $82.5

$74.6 ₡33.4K

10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 $70.6

$53.6 ₡24.0K

31.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$125 ₡56.0K

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$107 ₡47.7K

16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 $1,654

$884 ₡395.5K

87.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 $1,541

$641 ₡286.7K

140.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,830 $3,830

$1,743 ₡779.9K

119.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,144 $4,144

$1,168 ₡522.7K

254.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K $10.4K

$2,400 ₡1.1M

332.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K $10.7K

$1,671 ₡748.0K

538.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,911 $3,911

$1,083 ₡484.5K

261.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.72

9.56

-19.25%

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

Last update for Us Virgin Islands: September 5, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,498 in Us Virgin Islands vs $816 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,235 in Charlotte Amalie and $960 in San Jose.

Average salary: $4,210 in Us Virgin Islands vs $1,106 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 84% higher in Us Virgin Islands.

Dining out costs 123% more in Us Virgin Islands.

Public transport is 64% more expensive in Us Virgin Islands.

Salaries are 281% higher in Us Virgin Islands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Us Virgin Islands.

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

Us Virgin Islands vs Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 96% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Costa Rica, contributing to the overall 96% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Costa Rica, but in Us Virgin Islands 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.