Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Australia 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Australia is 23.8% higher than in Costa Rica (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Australia is 34.5% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Rent Prices in Australia are 72.4% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Restaurant Prices in Australia are 27.2% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Groceries Prices in Australia are 25.1% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Australia is 160.2% higher than in Costa Rica | |
Restaurants | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
5,000.00 ₡ (15.42 A$) |
8,108.79 ₡ (25.00 A$) |
+62.2 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
30,000.00 ₡ (92.49 A$) |
38,922.17 ₡ (120.00 A$) |
+29.7 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
5,000.00 ₡ (15.42 A$) |
4,865.27 ₡ (15.00 A$) |
-2.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
1,500.00 ₡ (4.62 A$) |
3,243.51 ₡ (10.00 A$) |
+116.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
2,400.00 ₡ (7.40 A$) |
3,567.87 ₡ (11.00 A$) |
+48.7 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
1,988.79 ₡ (6.13 A$) |
1,737.88 ₡ (5.36 A$) |
-12.6 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
1,091.04 ₡ (3.36 A$) |
1,316.08 ₡ (4.06 A$) |
+20.6 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
842.53 ₡ (2.60 A$) |
1,084.68 ₡ (3.34 A$) |
+28.7 % |
Markets | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
3,797.54 ₡ (11.71 A$) |
2,896.64 ₡ (8.93 A$) |
-23.7 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
1,446.26 ₡ (4.46 A$) |
1,110.14 ₡ (3.42 A$) |
-23.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
541.42 ₡ (1.67 A$) |
468.46 ₡ (1.44 A$) |
-13.5 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
1,713.10 ₡ (5.28 A$) |
2,143.35 ₡ (6.61 A$) |
+25.1 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
2,104.02 ₡ (6.49 A$) |
2,028.43 ₡ (6.25 A$) |
-3.6 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
2,146.24 ₡ (6.62 A$) |
1,917.98 ₡ (5.91 A$) |
-10.6 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
3,005.95 ₡ (9.27 A$) |
3,149.41 ₡ (9.71 A$) |
+4.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
999.75 ₡ (3.08 A$) |
720.98 ₡ (2.22 A$) |
-27.9 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
369.69 ₡ (1.14 A$) |
622.64 ₡ (1.92 A$) |
+68.4 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
731.46 ₡ (2.26 A$) |
660.94 ₡ (2.04 A$) |
-9.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
691.11 ₡ (2.13 A$) |
970.29 ₡ (2.99 A$) |
+40.4 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
676.71 ₡ (2.09 A$) |
555.05 ₡ (1.71 A$) |
-18.0 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
644.87 ₡ (1.99 A$) |
484.07 ₡ (1.49 A$) |
-24.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
506.09 ₡ (1.56 A$) |
1,102.90 ₡ (3.40 A$) |
+117.9 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1,243.91 ₡ (3.84 A$) |
751.21 ₡ (2.32 A$) |
-39.6 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
8,000.00 ₡ (24.66 A$) |
6,487.03 ₡ (20.00 A$) |
-18.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1,173.14 ₡ (3.62 A$) |
2,223.41 ₡ (6.85 A$) |
+89.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
1,377.42 ₡ (4.25 A$) |
2,463.26 ₡ (7.59 A$) |
+78.8 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
2,500.00 ₡ (7.71 A$) |
15,568.87 ₡ (48.00 A$) |
+522.8 % |
Transportation | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
500.00 ₡ (1.54 A$) |
1,459.58 ₡ (4.50 A$) |
+191.9 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
25,000.00 ₡ (77.08 A$) |
48,652.71 ₡ (150.00 A$) |
+94.6 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
910.00 ₡ (2.81 A$) |
1,946.11 ₡ (6.00 A$) |
+113.9 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
1,609.34 ₡ (4.96 A$) |
1,409.38 ₡ (4.35 A$) |
-12.4 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
3,845.00 ₡ (11.85 A$) |
18,812.38 ₡ (58.00 A$) |
+389.3 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
2,834.06 ₡ (8.74 A$) |
2,248.39 ₡ (6.93 A$) |
-20.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
18,250,000.00 ₡ (56,266.13 A$) |
14,408,663.04 ₡ (44,423.00 A$) |
-21.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
17,830,779.67 ₡ (54,973.64 A$) |
11,348,343.49 ₡ (34,987.80 A$) |
-36.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
44,603.35 ₡ (137.52 A$) |
87,921.17 ₡ (271.07 A$) |
+97.1 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
12,906.65 ₡ (39.79 A$) |
13,382.63 ₡ (41.26 A$) |
+3.7 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
27,505.06 ₡ (84.80 A$) |
26,435.14 ₡ (81.50 A$) |
-3.9 % |
Sports And Leisure | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
28,766.56 ₡ (88.69 A$) |
23,738.45 ₡ (73.19 A$) |
-17.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
15,308.33 ₡ (47.20 A$) |
8,370.87 ₡ (25.81 A$) |
-45.3 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
4,000.00 ₡ (12.33 A$) |
7,135.73 ₡ (22.00 A$) |
+78.4 % |
Childcare | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
275,484.27 ₡ (849.34 A$) |
788,697.00 ₡ (2,431.61 A$) |
+186.3 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
4,868,673.82 ₡ (15,010.49 A$) |
6,313,635.12 ₡ (19,465.42 A$) |
+29.7 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
36,971.50 ₡ (113.99 A$) |
35,885.04 ₡ (110.64 A$) |
-2.9 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
27,554.03 ₡ (84.95 A$) |
25,594.78 ₡ (78.91 A$) |
-7.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
62,682.14 ₡ (193.25 A$) |
51,086.63 ₡ (157.50 A$) |
-18.5 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
54,009.76 ₡ (166.52 A$) |
55,209.39 ₡ (170.21 A$) |
+2.2 % |
Rent Per Month | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
390,959.96 ₡ (1,205.36 A$) |
690,211.86 ₡ (2,127.98 A$) |
+76.5 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
267,353.12 ₡ (824.27 A$) |
547,960.29 ₡ (1,689.40 A$) |
+105.0 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
735,543.59 ₡ (2,267.74 A$) |
1,168,691.26 ₡ (3,603.16 A$) |
+58.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
504,057.30 ₡ (1,554.05 A$) |
864,448.22 ₡ (2,665.16 A$) |
+71.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
125,691.01 ₡ (387.51 A$) |
314,964.83 ₡ (971.06 A$) |
+150.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
69,911.58 ₡ (215.54 A$) |
234,931.50 ₡ (724.31 A$) |
+236.0 % |
Salaries And Financing | Costa Rica Edit |
Australia Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
513,241.72 ₡ (1,582.36 A$) |
1,796,811.21 ₡ (5,539.71 A$) |
+250.1 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.29 | 6.36 | -38.2 % |
| Last update: | April 2025 | April 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 116 | 1570 |
Moving to Australia? Explore:
Other comparisons Costa Rica vs Australia: