Cost of Living in Costa Rica - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $925 (excluding rent), and $1,566 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,212 (excluding rent), and $3,347 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ₡4,804

$7.06 ₡3,360

$20.18 ₡9,603

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡28.7K

$36.14 ₡17.2K

$101 ₡48.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 ₡4,782

$9.04 ₡4,302

$12.05 ₡5,734

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,879

$1.97 ₡940

$6.87 ₡3,270

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

$2.19 ₡1,042

$1.63 ₡774

$3.07 ₡1,461

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡780

$1.16 ₡553

$2.53 ₡1,203

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 ₡1,441

$2.02 ₡962

$5.05 ₡2,403

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ₡2,169

$3.06 ₡1,456

$6.16 ₡2,931

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₡995

$1.30 ₡619

$3.05 ₡1,453

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 ₡1,516

$1.30 ₡621

$5.63 ₡2,681

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 ₡1,136

$1.74 ₡827

$3.86 ₡1,838

Eggs

$3.32 ₡1,577

$1.91 ₡911

$5.89 ₡2,803

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 ₡4,418

$3.97 ₡1,889

$18.37 ₡8,742

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 ₡4,383

$4.86 ₡2,310

$13.60 ₡6,471

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 ₡6,363

$8.94 ₡4,253

$19.86 ₡9,452

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 ₡2,242

$2.04 ₡970

$8.15 ₡3,879

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ₡774

$0.96 ₡456

$3.28 ₡1,558

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 ₡1,572

$1.00 ₡474

$6.01 ₡2,861

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 ₡1,449

$1.37 ₡650

$4.40 ₡2,094

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₡1,415

$1.38 ₡655

$4.99 ₡2,376

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₡1,365

$1.63 ₡778

$4.68 ₡2,226

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ₡465

$0.59 ₡279

$1.55 ₡739

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ₡1,198

$1.72 ₡816

$4.04 ₡1,922

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 ₡2,316

$4.48 ₡2,130

$5.85 ₡2,782

Wine (Bottle)

$15.34 ₡7,298

$8.38 ₡3,986

$27.24 ₡13.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,137

$1.53 ₡727

$3.09 ₡1,469

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,307

$1.96 ₡932

$4.89 ₡2,328

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡491

$0.83 ₡396

$1.45 ₡689

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 ₡24.0K

$20.21 ₡9,618

$101 ₡48.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡855

$1.36 ₡646

$2.91 ₡1,384

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 ₡969

$1.42 ₡676

$2.53 ₡1,204

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ₡3,705

$6.08 ₡2,891

$10.13 ₡4,818

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡685

$1.29 ₡615

$1.78 ₡847

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

$37.3K ₡17.7M

$31.9K ₡15.2M

$40.4K ₡19.2M

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

$35.7K ₡17.0M

$33.5K ₡16.0M

$40.0K ₡19.0M

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

$88.1 ₡41.9K

$51.0 ₡24.3K

$200 ₡95.2K

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

$25.96 ₡12.4K

$20.24 ₡9,632

$50.6 ₡24.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 ₡25.6K

$39.68 ₡18.9K

$79.4 ₡37.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 ₡27.4K

$34.26 ₡16.3K

$111 ₡52.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.06 ₡13.8K

$10.06 ₡4,788

$60.0 ₡28.6K

Cinema Ticket

$9.17 ₡4,364

$7.13 ₡3,394

$12.22 ₡5,817

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

$544 ₡258.8K

$393 ₡187.0K

$914 ₡434.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K ₡4.8M

$6,401 ₡3.0M

$19.1K ₡9.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ₡34.8K

$39.88 ₡19.0K

$100 ₡47.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 ₡25.4K

$23.49 ₡11.2K

$78.3 ₡37.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₡56.2K

$79.0 ₡37.6K

$178 ₡84.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡48.8K

$49.86 ₡23.7K

$199 ₡94.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 ₡384.2K

$397 ₡189.0K

$1,498 ₡712.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ₡257.4K

$297 ₡141.2K

$890 ₡423.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ₡710.2K

$851 ₡405.1K

$2,518 ₡1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 ₡497.0K

$601 ₡286.0K

$2,015 ₡958.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 ₡1.1M

$1,984 ₡944.2K

$4,168 ₡2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,601 ₡761.9K

$1,156 ₡550.1K

$2,072 ₡985.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,014 ₡482.5K

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: March 9, 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	-	80	$917	$1,564	$2,355	$3,229	66.1	154.01
2	Alajuela	50000	79	$995	$1,583	$2,366	$3,167	194.83	197.17
3	Arenal	-	80	$1,023	$1,588	$2,013	$3,299	51.05	109.36
4	Atenas	7000	65	$915	$1,292	$2,001	$3,208	47.47	184.93
5	Cartago	110000	75	$883	$1,482	$1,981	$2,742	257.78	204.6
6	Curridabat	33000	79	$942	$1,586	$2,469	$3,301	41.92	217.93
7	Desamparados	38000	78	$983	$1,553	$1,901	$3,111	32.7	207.49
8	Escazu	11984	104	$827	$2,037	$2,188	$3,639	115.1	207.49
9	Grecia	16700	69	$690	$1,378	$1,599	$2,394	297.03	169.69
10	Guadalupe	23000	76	$737	$1,500	$2,050	$2,935	47.39	204.86
11	Guanacaste	-	72	$787	$1,453	$1,604	$2,779	32.51	176.39
12	Heredia	117000	74	$833	$1,483	$1,934	$2,983	98.9	204.67
13	Jaco Beach	-	67	$792	$1,344	$2,005	$2,901	-	-
14	Liberia	46000	57	$757	$1,129	$2,080	$2,695	63.54	147.48
15	Nosara	-	85	$785	$1,693	$2,145	$3,506	132.9	135.48
16	Ojochal	-	78	$935	$1,540	$1,819	$3,221	55.27	104.22
17	Perez Zeledon	135000	59	$812	$1,197	$1,879	$2,678	60.26	92.27
18	Playa Flamingo	-	79	$973	$1,614	$1,907	$3,293	-	-
19	Playa del Coco	-	88	$1,044	$1,744	$2,685	$3,660	71.33	174.96
20	Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon	-	75	$880	$1,467	$1,719	$2,949	-	-
21	Puntarenas	70000	65	$675	$1,284	$1,615	$2,694	202.52	149.81
22	Quesada	42000	76	$784	$1,518	$2,028	$3,052	56.2	112.05
23	Samara	-	90	$867	$1,811	$2,028	$3,177	30.48	118.71
24	San Francisco	-	79	$824	$1,594	$2,309	$3,216	216.74	207.49
25	San Isidro	17000	78	$752	$1,563	$1,918	$3,212	71.73	207.49
26	San Jose	342188	79	$954	$1,601	$2,285	$3,393	41.18	207.49
27	San Juan	27000	80	$796	$1,578	$2,330	$3,305	37.22	215.89
28	San Pedro	-	80	$1,022	$1,578	$2,298	$3,313	174.13	92.21
29	San Rafael	30000	80	$862	$1,615	$2,197	$3,241	59.27	207.49
30	San Ramon	10000	78	$921	$1,558	$2,067	$3,058	107.87	167.71
31	Santa Ana	13000	80	$844	$1,577	$2,105	$3,599	122.8	217.58
32	Santa Barbara	8000	77	$949	$1,543	$2,258	$3,209	59.14	205.8
33	Santa Cruz	-	79	$983	$1,553	$2,108	$3,275	64.3	73.01
34	Santa Teresa	3099	77	$853	$1,541	$2,055	$3,067	224.91	153.79
35	Tamarindo	6000	91	$937	$1,841	$2,338	$3,226	59.07	196.6
36	Tibas	-	75	$820	$1,512	$2,026	$2,930	32.99	173.15
37	Turrialba	27000	80	$827	$1,591	$2,393	$3,263	172.88	163.66
38	Upala	15000	65	$750	$1,323	$1,823	$2,607	171.46	118.5
39	Vazquez de Coronado	-	74	$828	$1,451	$1,668	$2,888	184.48	194.61

Costa Rica Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

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.