Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and New Zealand 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in New Zealand is 15.4% higher than in Costa Rica (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in New Zealand is 20.6% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Rent Prices in New Zealand are 38.7% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Restaurant Prices in New Zealand are 20.5% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Groceries Prices in New Zealand are 14.8% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Local Purchasing Power in New Zealand is 142.7% higher than in Costa Rica | |
Restaurants | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
5,000.00 ₡ (16.64 NZ$) |
7,512.07 ₡ (25.00 NZ$) |
+50.2 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
30,000.00 ₡ (99.84 NZ$) |
37,560.34 ₡ (125.00 NZ$) |
+25.2 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
5,000.00 ₡ (16.64 NZ$) |
4,507.24 ₡ (15.00 NZ$) |
-9.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
1,500.00 ₡ (4.99 NZ$) |
3,305.31 ₡ (11.00 NZ$) |
+120.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
2,400.00 ₡ (7.99 NZ$) |
3,305.31 ₡ (11.00 NZ$) |
+37.7 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
1,988.79 ₡ (6.62 NZ$) |
1,709.86 ₡ (5.69 NZ$) |
-14.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
1,091.04 ₡ (3.63 NZ$) |
1,131.57 ₡ (3.77 NZ$) |
+3.7 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
842.53 ₡ (2.80 NZ$) |
1,048.94 ₡ (3.49 NZ$) |
+24.5 % |
Markets | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
3,797.54 ₡ (12.64 NZ$) |
3,391.05 ₡ (11.29 NZ$) |
-10.7 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
1,446.26 ₡ (4.81 NZ$) |
878.74 ₡ (2.92 NZ$) |
-39.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
541.42 ₡ (1.80 NZ$) |
419.68 ₡ (1.40 NZ$) |
-22.5 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
1,713.10 ₡ (5.70 NZ$) |
3,232.24 ₡ (10.76 NZ$) |
+88.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
2,104.02 ₡ (7.00 NZ$) |
1,871.00 ₡ (6.23 NZ$) |
-11.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
2,146.24 ₡ (7.14 NZ$) |
2,151.66 ₡ (7.16 NZ$) |
+0.3 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
3,005.95 ₡ (10.00 NZ$) |
2,930.59 ₡ (9.75 NZ$) |
-2.5 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
999.75 ₡ (3.33 NZ$) |
634.79 ₡ (2.11 NZ$) |
-36.5 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
369.69 ₡ (1.23 NZ$) |
513.90 ₡ (1.71 NZ$) |
+39.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
731.46 ₡ (2.43 NZ$) |
690.53 ₡ (2.30 NZ$) |
-5.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
691.11 ₡ (2.30 NZ$) |
1,074.31 ₡ (3.58 NZ$) |
+55.4 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
676.71 ₡ (2.25 NZ$) |
473.59 ₡ (1.58 NZ$) |
-30.0 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
644.87 ₡ (2.15 NZ$) |
400.42 ₡ (1.33 NZ$) |
-37.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
506.09 ₡ (1.68 NZ$) |
1,176.75 ₡ (3.92 NZ$) |
+132.5 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1,243.91 ₡ (4.14 NZ$) |
567.19 ₡ (1.89 NZ$) |
-54.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
8,000.00 ₡ (26.62 NZ$) |
4,807.72 ₡ (16.00 NZ$) |
-39.9 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1,173.14 ₡ (3.90 NZ$) |
1,495.97 ₡ (4.98 NZ$) |
+27.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
1,377.42 ₡ (4.58 NZ$) |
1,749.77 ₡ (5.82 NZ$) |
+27.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
2,500.00 ₡ (8.32 NZ$) |
12,019.31 ₡ (40.00 NZ$) |
+380.8 % |
Transportation | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
500.00 ₡ (1.66 NZ$) |
1,201.93 ₡ (4.00 NZ$) |
+140.4 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
25,000.00 ₡ (83.20 NZ$) |
53,335.68 ₡ (177.50 NZ$) |
+113.3 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
910.00 ₡ (3.03 NZ$) |
1,201.93 ₡ (4.00 NZ$) |
+32.1 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
1,609.34 ₡ (5.36 NZ$) |
1,644.17 ₡ (5.47 NZ$) |
+2.2 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
3,845.00 ₡ (12.80 NZ$) |
18,028.96 ₡ (60.00 NZ$) |
+368.9 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
2,834.06 ₡ (9.43 NZ$) |
3,191.22 ₡ (10.62 NZ$) |
+12.6 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
18,250,000.00 ₡ (60,735.60 NZ$) |
13,521,722.85 ₡ (45,000.00 NZ$) |
-25.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
17,830,779.67 ₡ (59,340.45 NZ$) |
10,821,693.95 ₡ (36,014.36 NZ$) |
-39.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
44,603.35 ₡ (148.44 NZ$) |
68,459.23 ₡ (227.83 NZ$) |
+53.5 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
12,906.65 ₡ (42.95 NZ$) |
17,459.61 ₡ (58.11 NZ$) |
+35.3 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
27,505.06 ₡ (91.54 NZ$) |
25,902.82 ₡ (86.20 NZ$) |
-5.8 % |
Sports And Leisure | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
28,766.56 ₡ (95.73 NZ$) |
18,405.32 ₡ (61.25 NZ$) |
-36.0 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
15,308.33 ₡ (50.95 NZ$) |
7,472.24 ₡ (24.87 NZ$) |
-51.2 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
4,000.00 ₡ (13.31 NZ$) |
6,009.65 ₡ (20.00 NZ$) |
+50.2 % |
Childcare | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
275,484.27 ₡ (916.81 NZ$) |
375,070.20 ₡ (1,248.23 NZ$) |
+36.1 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
4,868,673.82 ₡ (16,202.84 NZ$) |
5,899,045.87 ₡ (19,631.90 NZ$) |
+21.2 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
36,971.50 ₡ (123.04 NZ$) |
34,240.88 ₡ (113.95 NZ$) |
-7.4 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
27,554.03 ₡ (91.70 NZ$) |
21,520.29 ₡ (71.62 NZ$) |
-21.9 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
62,682.14 ₡ (208.60 NZ$) |
48,143.72 ₡ (160.22 NZ$) |
-23.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
54,009.76 ₡ (179.74 NZ$) |
59,038.18 ₡ (196.48 NZ$) |
+9.3 % |
Rent Per Month | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
390,959.96 ₡ (1,301.11 NZ$) |
548,478.67 ₡ (1,825.33 NZ$) |
+40.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
267,353.12 ₡ (889.75 NZ$) |
458,799.01 ₡ (1,526.87 NZ$) |
+71.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
735,543.59 ₡ (2,447.87 NZ$) |
874,086.10 ₡ (2,908.94 NZ$) |
+18.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
504,057.30 ₡ (1,677.49 NZ$) |
754,881.96 ₡ (2,512.23 NZ$) |
+49.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
125,691.01 ₡ (418.30 NZ$) |
233,870.46 ₡ (778.32 NZ$) |
+86.1 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
69,911.58 ₡ (232.66 NZ$) |
192,474.47 ₡ (640.55 NZ$) |
+175.3 % |
Salaries And Financing | Costa Rica Edit |
New Zealand Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
513,241.72 ₡ (1,708.06 NZ$) |
1,501,530.15 ₡ (4,997.06 NZ$) |
+192.6 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.29 | 6.76 | -34.3 % |
| Last update: | April 2025 | April 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 116 | 479 |
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