Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Costa Rica 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Costa Rica is 8.9% lower than in Canada (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Costa Rica is 14.2% lower than in Canada | |
| Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 27.5% lower than in Canada | |
| Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 18.8% lower than in Canada | |
| Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 6.9% lower than in Canada | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 57.4% lower than in Canada | |
Restaurants | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant |
C$25.00 (₡8,139.06) |
C$15.36 (₡5,000.00) |
-38.6 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) |
C$100.00 (₡32,556.25) |
C$76.79 (₡25,000.00) |
-23.2 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) |
C$15.00 (₡4,883.44) |
C$15.36 (₡5,000.00) |
+2.4 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) |
C$8.00 (₡2,604.50) |
C$4.61 (₡1,500.00) |
-42.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) |
C$8.00 (₡2,604.50) |
C$6.14 (₡2,000.00) |
-23.2 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) |
C$5.33 (₡1,734.67) |
C$6.16 (₡2,006.39) |
+15.7 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) |
C$2.93 (₡954.17) |
C$3.30 (₡1,075.30) |
+12.7 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) |
C$2.38 (₡774.00) |
C$2.70 (₡878.92) |
+13.6 % |
Markets | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) |
C$3.08 (₡1,001.37) |
C$3.33 (₡1,083.06) |
+8.2 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) |
C$3.35 (₡1,089.27) |
C$4.41 (₡1,436.09) |
+31.8 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) |
C$2.29 (₡745.96) |
C$1.70 (₡552.61) |
-25.9 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) |
C$4.92 (₡1,601.26) |
C$5.40 (₡1,757.97) |
+9.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
C$6.86 (₡2,234.40) |
C$6.29 (₡2,047.76) |
-8.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
C$7.56 (₡2,461.19) |
C$6.43 (₡2,092.70) |
-15.0 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) |
C$9.56 (₡3,112.06) |
C$8.69 (₡2,829.83) |
-9.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
C$2.59 (₡844.66) |
C$3.23 (₡1,052.20) |
+24.6 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) |
C$0.91 (₡295.61) |
C$1.08 (₡352.37) |
+19.2 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
C$2.46 (₡800.35) |
C$2.25 (₡731.50) |
-8.6 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
C$2.55 (₡831.07) |
C$2.09 (₡681.88) |
-18.0 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
C$1.67 (₡542.88) |
C$2.17 (₡705.02) |
+29.9 % |
| Onions (1 lb) |
C$1.61 (₡523.99) |
C$1.93 (₡629.08) |
+20.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) |
C$3.63 (₡1,181.93) |
C$1.57 (₡510.72) |
-56.8 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) |
C$2.44 (₡795.21) |
C$3.84 (₡1,249.32) |
+57.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
C$18.00 (₡5,860.12) |
C$23.04 (₡7,500.00) |
+28.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) |
C$4.04 (₡1,316.23) |
C$3.74 (₡1,217.13) |
-7.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) |
C$4.56 (₡1,483.48) |
C$4.61 (₡1,502.37) |
+1.3 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) |
C$20.00 (₡6,511.25) |
C$7.68 (₡2,500.00) |
-61.6 % |
Transportation | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) |
C$3.50 (₡1,139.47) |
C$1.54 (₡500.00) |
-56.1 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) |
C$103.75 (₡33,777.11) |
C$92.15 (₡30,000.00) |
-11.2 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) |
C$4.50 (₡1,465.03) |
C$3.26 (₡1,062.50) |
-27.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) |
C$3.38 (₡1,100.28) |
C$4.45 (₡1,448.41) |
+31.6 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) |
C$38.00 (₡12,371.37) |
C$12.63 (₡4,112.50) |
-66.8 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) |
C$1.62 (₡528.89) |
C$2.17 (₡705.00) |
+33.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) |
C$39,580.00 (₡12,885,762.33) |
C$47,302.75 (₡15,400,000.00) |
+19.5 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) |
C$27,283.83 (₡8,882,589.71) |
C$51,003.46 (₡16,604,810.75) |
+86.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) |
C$211.05 (₡68,709.30) |
C$138.17 (₡44,983.53) |
-34.5 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) |
C$59.58 (₡19,398.45) |
C$42.28 (₡13,764.90) |
-29.0 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) |
C$84.56 (₡27,530.00) |
C$83.82 (₡27,290.24) |
-0.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership |
C$57.85 (₡18,833.02) |
C$91.24 (₡29,704.08) |
+57.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) |
C$28.02 (₡9,123.15) |
C$32.38 (₡10,541.67) |
+15.5 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) |
C$15.99 (₡5,205.74) |
C$12.29 (₡4,000.00) |
-23.2 % |
Childcare | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child |
C$1,058.17 (₡344,499.11) |
C$1,014.33 (₡330,228.50) |
-4.1 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child |
C$20,359.61 (₡6,628,323.87) |
C$17,813.46 (₡5,799,394.14) |
-12.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) |
C$76.73 (₡24,980.74) |
C$106.13 (₡34,551.33) |
+38.3 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) |
C$56.94 (₡18,538.48) |
C$73.85 (₡24,043.94) |
+29.7 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
C$122.99 (₡40,041.36) |
C$177.72 (₡57,859.23) |
+44.5 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes |
C$146.31 (₡47,632.09) |
C$154.10 (₡50,169.36) |
+5.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre |
C$1,810.15 (₡589,316.44) |
C$1,276.87 (₡415,701.51) |
-29.5 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre |
C$1,593.37 (₡518,741.49) |
C$920.21 (₡299,586.38) |
-42.2 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre |
C$2,862.13 (₡931,801.34) |
C$2,464.85 (₡802,462.05) |
-13.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre |
C$2,482.79 (₡808,302.02) |
C$1,678.26 (₡546,377.21) |
-32.4 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
C$609.06 (₡198,285.86) |
C$314.82 (₡102,495.14) |
-48.3 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
C$498.39 (₡162,256.64) |
C$207.23 (₡67,464.96) |
-58.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Canada Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
C$4,141.19 (₡1,348,216.23) |
C$1,511.45 (₡492,069.86) |
-63.5 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.00 | 9.56 | +90.9 % |
| Last update: | 15 June 2026 | 15 May 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 2375 | 83 | |
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