Cost of Living in Costa Rica
Summary of cost of living in Costa Rica:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 3,293.2$ (1,668,429.0₡), excluding rent.
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 903.8$ (457,872.1₡), excluding rent.
- Cost of living in Costa Rica is, on average, 22.7% lower than in United States.
- Rent in Costa Rica is, on average, 55.7% lower than in United States.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 5,000.00 ₡ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 30,000.00 ₡ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 5,000.00 ₡ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 1,500.00 ₡ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2,239.92 ₡ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 1,996.81 ₡ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 1,091.28 ₡ | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 850.28 ₡ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3,863.08 ₡ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 1,449.55 ₡ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 566.43 ₡ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 1,712.55 ₡ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 2,058.79 ₡ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 2,120.71 ₡ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 3,042.80 ₡ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1,029.98 ₡ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 368.07 ₡ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 706.47 ₡ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 681.67 ₡ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 671.16 ₡ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 627.60 ₡ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 509.12 ₡ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1,260.31 ₡ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8,000.00 ₡ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1,163.22 ₡ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 1,388.99 ₡ | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 2,500.00 ₡ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 500.00 ₡ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 25,000.00 ₡ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 920.00 ₡ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 1,569.11 ₡ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 3,845.00 ₡ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 2,823.88 ₡ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 18,450,000.00 ₡ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 17,643,537.40 ₡ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 43,738.13 ₡ | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 12,960.40 ₡ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 27,322.39 ₡ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 29,266.43 ₡ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 14,520.49 ₡ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 4,500.00 ₡ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 276,980.38 ₡ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 4,902,554.19 ₡ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 36,705.06 ₡ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 27,751.09 ₡ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 60,923.97 ₡ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 53,437.07 ₡ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 393,270.68 ₡ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 265,027.00 ₡ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 737,966.43 ₡ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 506,881.96 ₡ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 120,431.74 ₡ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 65,734.88 ₡ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 506,062.05 ₡ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.53 |
Prices in Costa Rica
This country had 1383 entries in the past 12 months by 120 different contributors.
Last update: May 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: May 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Sources and References
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Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Costa Rica
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 PortuguêsCusto de Vida na Costa Rica
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 ItalianoCosto della Vita in Costa Rica
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 FrançaisCoût de la Vie au Costa Rica
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 EspañolCosto de Vida en Costa Rica
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