Cost of Living in Costa Rica - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $908 (excluding rent), and $1,539 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,208 (excluding rent), and $3,308 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.69 ₡4,789

$6.78 ₡3,350

$19.38 ₡9,572

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 ₡29.4K

$35.74 ₡17.7K

$99.9 ₡49.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 ₡4,816

$8.77 ₡4,332

$11.69 ₡5,774

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,924

$1.95 ₡962

$6.78 ₡3,347

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

$2.09 ₡1,031

$1.55 ₡766

$2.93 ₡1,446

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡816

$1.17 ₡578

$2.55 ₡1,257

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ₡1,447

$1.96 ₡966

$4.88 ₡2,413

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,209

$3.00 ₡1,483

$6.04 ₡2,986

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₡986

$1.24 ₡614

$2.92 ₡1,440

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 ₡1,574

$1.30 ₡645

$5.63 ₡2,783

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₡1,206

$1.78 ₡877

$3.95 ₡1,950

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,677

$1.96 ₡968

$6.03 ₡2,980

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 ₡4,705

$4.07 ₡2,011

$18.84 ₡9,309

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 ₡4,707

$5.02 ₡2,481

$14.06 ₡6,948

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 ₡6,520

$8.82 ₡4,358

$19.61 ₡9,685

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 ₡2,290

$2.01 ₡991

$8.02 ₡3,962

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₡802

$0.96 ₡472

$3.27 ₡1,614

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 ₡1,633

$1.00 ₡493

$6.02 ₡2,973

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,522

$1.38 ₡683

$4.46 ₡2,201

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 ₡1,424

$1.33 ₡659

$4.84 ₡2,390

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 ₡1,357

$1.57 ₡773

$4.48 ₡2,213

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡479

$0.58 ₡288

$1.54 ₡762

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,193

$1.65 ₡813

$3.88 ₡1,914

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 ₡2,395

$4.46 ₡2,202

$5.82 ₡2,876

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 ₡7,508

$9.12 ₡4,506

$26.34 ₡13.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,181

$1.53 ₡755

$3.09 ₡1,526

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,384

$2.00 ₡987

$4.99 ₡2,465

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡474

$0.78 ₡383

$1.35 ₡666

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 ₡25.0K

$20.25 ₡10.0K

$101 ₡50.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ₡936

$1.43 ₡707

$3.07 ₡1,515

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ₡984

$1.39 ₡686

$2.47 ₡1,222

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 ₡3,676

$5.81 ₡2,869

$9.68 ₡4,781

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₡736

$1.34 ₡662

$1.84 ₡910

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

$36.5K ₡18.0M

$31.2K ₡15.4M

$39.5K ₡19.5M

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

$35.1K ₡17.3M

$33.0K ₡16.3M

$39.3K ₡19.4M

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

$87.5 ₡43.2K

$50.7 ₡25.1K

$199 ₡98.2K

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

$25.07 ₡12.4K

$19.55 ₡9,656

$48.87 ₡24.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 ₡26.2K

$39.06 ₡19.3K

$78.1 ₡38.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ₡28.1K

$33.91 ₡16.7K

$110 ₡54.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 ₡14.4K

$10.09 ₡4,984

$60.2 ₡29.7K

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 ₡4,523

$7.12 ₡3,517

$12.20 ₡6,029

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

$554 ₡273.7K

$400 ₡197.7K

$931 ₡459.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ₡5.0M

$6,498 ₡3.2M

$19.4K ₡9.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 ₡36.3K

$40.12 ₡19.8K

$101 ₡49.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 ₡26.5K

$23.64 ₡11.7K

$78.8 ₡38.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₡58.2K

$78.8 ₡38.9K

$177 ₡87.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₡49.9K

$49.16 ₡24.3K

$197 ₡97.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ₡401.1K

$399 ₡197.3K

$1,506 ₡744.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 ₡271.8K

$302 ₡149.1K

$905 ₡447.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 ₡718.3K

$829 ₡409.7K

$2,453 ₡1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ₡505.2K

$589 ₡290.8K

$1,973 ₡974.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ₡1.2M

$2,041 ₡1.0M

$4,171 ₡2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 ₡796.8K

$1,131 ₡558.5K

$2,071 ₡1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$996 ₡492.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

7.5

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

Last update: January 20, 2026

By City in Costa Rica

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Acosta	-	79	$1,006	$1,563	$2,282	$3,246	66.1	154.01
2	Alajuela	50000	79	$816	$1,567	$1,887	$3,121	194.83	197.17
3	Arenal	-	80	$994	$1,584	$2,138	$3,181	51.05	109.36
4	Atenas	7000	65	$860	$1,316	$1,717	$3,191	47.47	184.93
5	Cartago	110000	75	$767	$1,509	$2,100	$2,788	257.78	204.6
6	Curridabat	33000	79	$1,016	$1,566	$1,986	$3,187	41.92	217.93
7	Desamparados	38000	78	$809	$1,572	$2,100	$3,186	32.7	207.49
8	Escazu	11984	104	$938	$2,050	$2,469	$3,650	115.1	207.49
9	Grecia	16700	69	$793	$1,391	$1,683	$2,314	297.03	169.69
10	Guadalupe	23000	76	$854	$1,543	$2,040	$2,983	47.39	204.86
11	Guanacaste	-	71	$816	$1,397	$1,697	$2,853	32.51	176.39
12	Heredia	117000	74	$718	$1,483	$1,673	$3,019	98.9	204.67
13	Jaco Beach	-	67	$762	$1,331	$1,812	$2,876	-	-
14	Liberia	46000	57	$887	$1,160	$2,109	$2,726	63.54	147.48
15	Nosara	-	85	$965	$1,662	$2,113	$3,439	132.9	135.48
16	Ojochal	-	78	$873	$1,586	$2,137	$3,130	55.27	104.22
17	Perez Zeledon	135000	59	$731	$1,152	$2,096	$2,601	60.26	92.27
18	Playa Flamingo	-	79	$931	$1,583	$1,929	$3,179	-	-
19	Playa del Coco	-	88	$1,072	$1,736	$2,614	$3,672	71.33	174.96
20	Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon	-	75	$796	$1,474	$1,942	$2,915	-	-
21	Puntarenas	70000	65	$595	$1,278	$1,779	$2,714	202.52	149.81
22	Quesada	42000	76	$912	$1,493	$2,024	$3,109	56.2	112.05
23	Samara	-	90	$863	$1,791	$2,107	$3,110	30.48	118.71
24	San Francisco	-	79	$955	$1,574	$2,346	$3,284	216.74	207.49
25	San Isidro	17000	78	$788	$1,531	$1,861	$3,213	71.73	207.49
26	San Jose	342188	79	$946	$1,576	$2,304	$3,409	41.18	207.49
27	San Juan	27000	80	$850	$1,563	$2,420	$3,207	37.22	215.89
28	San Pedro	-	80	$783	$1,602	$1,887	$3,222	174.13	92.21
29	San Rafael	30000	80	$873	$1,568	$2,238	$3,202	59.27	207.49
30	San Ramon	10000	78	$737	$1,582	$2,035	$3,129	107.87	167.71
31	Santa Ana	13000	80	$770	$1,611	$2,277	$3,632	122.8	217.58
32	Santa Barbara	8000	77	$741	$1,518	$2,397	$3,187	59.14	205.8
33	Santa Cruz	-	79	$893	$1,559	$2,196	$3,272	64.3	73.01
34	Santa Teresa	3099	77	$846	$1,559	$2,044	$3,098	224.91	153.79
35	Tamarindo	6000	91	$981	$1,826	$2,344	$3,318	59.07	196.6
36	Tibas	-	75	$741	$1,486	$2,024	$2,843	32.99	173.15
37	Turrialba	27000	80	$950	$1,557	$2,359	$3,259	172.88	163.66
38	Upala	15000	65	$635	$1,324	$1,512	$2,661	171.46	118.5
39	Vazquez de Coronado	-	74	$803	$1,495	$1,824	$2,922	184.48	194.61

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Costa Rica - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Rica often feels like a great value for travelers, expats, and digital nomads who prioritize quality of life and natural spaces. In general, you'll find that essentials like groceries, eating out, and local transport are affordable relative to many Western countries, while imported goods and high-end services can push prices up in popular expat hubs. The mix varies by region and season, so you can tailor your choices to stretch your budget. Overall, Cost of Living in Costa Rica tends to be moderate, with options that balance comfort and nature. Tip: Plan a monthly budget that matches your season and region.

Daily life blends affordability with choice. You can find walkable neighborhoods in cities or quiet coastal towns with short commutes. Housing options range from budget studios near town centers to larger rentals with balconies, some in areas with good internet for remote work. Food comes from vibrant markets and casual eateries where portions feed travelers without breaking a budget. Transit is accessible via buses or shared taxis; if you need flexibility, a used car or scooter helps. Costa Rica living cost varies by area, so tailor your search region by your work style. Tip: sample several short stays to test vibes.

Quality of life in Costa Rica shines with climate options, outdoor activities, and a relaxed pace. Use a simple budgeting framework: lock in fixed costs like rent, internet, and insurance, then allocate flexible expenses for food, transport, and activities. The dry season often brings busier streets and higher demand in popular towns, while the rainy season can open more affordable options and quieter neighborhoods. To find your fit, visit several areas on short stays, check distance to groceries and healthcare, and note how a place feels at different times of day. Tip: track your expenses for a month to see where you can adjust.