Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and Puerto Rico 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Puerto Rico is 20.6% higher than in Costa Rica (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Puerto Rico is 19.3% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Rent Prices in Puerto Rico are 14.4% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Restaurant Prices in Puerto Rico are 14.3% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Groceries Prices in Puerto Rico are 16.4% higher than in Costa Rica | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Puerto Rico is 113.7% higher than in Costa Rica | |
Restaurants | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
5,000.00 ₡ (9.83 $) |
7,632.44 ₡ (15.00 $) |
+52.6 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
30,000.00 ₡ (58.96 $) |
38,162.22 ₡ (75.00 $) |
+27.2 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
5,000.00 ₡ (9.83 $) |
4,579.47 ₡ (9.00 $) |
-8.4 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
1,500.00 ₡ (2.95 $) |
1,317.87 ₡ (2.59 $) |
-12.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
2,289.73 ₡ (4.50 $) |
2,035.32 ₡ (4.00 $) |
-11.1 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
2,006.41 ₡ (3.94 $) |
1,659.96 ₡ (3.26 $) |
-17.3 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
1,090.08 ₡ (2.14 $) |
806.76 ₡ (1.59 $) |
-26.0 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
848.73 ₡ (1.67 $) |
633.86 ₡ (1.25 $) |
-25.3 % |
Markets | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
3,863.46 ₡ (7.59 $) |
3,961.75 ₡ (7.79 $) |
+2.5 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
1,449.85 ₡ (2.85 $) |
1,432.28 ₡ (2.81 $) |
-1.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
566.54 ₡ (1.11 $) |
533.05 ₡ (1.05 $) |
-5.9 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
1,713.06 ₡ (3.37 $) |
2,572.30 ₡ (5.06 $) |
+50.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
2,059.25 ₡ (4.05 $) |
2,153.78 ₡ (4.23 $) |
+4.6 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
2,121.18 ₡ (4.17 $) |
2,021.33 ₡ (3.97 $) |
-4.7 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
3,043.27 ₡ (5.98 $) |
2,596.49 ₡ (5.10 $) |
-14.7 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
1,030.14 ₡ (2.02 $) |
1,238.16 ₡ (2.43 $) |
+20.2 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
368.20 ₡ (0.72 $) |
597.50 ₡ (1.17 $) |
+62.3 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
706.62 ₡ (1.39 $) |
912.24 ₡ (1.79 $) |
+29.1 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
681.78 ₡ (1.34 $) |
1,059.41 ₡ (2.08 $) |
+55.4 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
671.27 ₡ (1.32 $) |
736.36 ₡ (1.45 $) |
+9.7 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
627.74 ₡ (1.23 $) |
636.84 ₡ (1.25 $) |
+1.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
509.37 ₡ (1.00 $) |
1,341.97 ₡ (2.64 $) |
+163.5 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1,260.31 ₡ (2.48 $) |
948.57 ₡ (1.86 $) |
-24.7 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
8,000.00 ₡ (15.72 $) |
7,632.44 ₡ (15.00 $) |
-4.6 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1,163.40 ₡ (2.29 $) |
1,197.93 ₡ (2.35 $) |
+3.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
1,389.37 ₡ (2.73 $) |
1,694.67 ₡ (3.33 $) |
+22.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
2,500.00 ₡ (4.91 $) |
5,597.13 ₡ (11.00 $) |
+123.9 % |
Transportation | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
500.00 ₡ (0.98 $) |
887.91 ₡ (1.75 $) |
+77.6 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
25,000.00 ₡ (49.13 $) |
20,353.18 ₡ (40.00 $) |
-18.6 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
920.00 ₡ (1.81 $) |
4,070.64 ₡ (8.00 $) |
+342.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
1,569.11 ₡ (3.08 $) |
763.24 ₡ (1.50 $) |
-51.4 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
3,845.00 ₡ (7.56 $) |
20,353.18 ₡ (40.00 $) |
+429.3 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
2,825.94 ₡ (5.55 $) |
1,876.10 ₡ (3.69 $) |
-33.6 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
18,450,000.00 ₡ (36,259.68 $) |
17,809,036.77 ₡ (35,000.00 $) |
-3.5 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
17,660,636.28 ₡ (34,708.35 $) |
13,901,951.81 ₡ (27,321.43 $) |
-21.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
43,745.81 ₡ (85.97 $) |
154,285.59 ₡ (303.22 $) |
+252.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
12,964.61 ₡ (25.48 $) |
36,359.90 ₡ (71.46 $) |
+180.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
27,333.59 ₡ (53.72 $) |
34,709.09 ₡ (68.21 $) |
+27.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
29,281.51 ₡ (57.55 $) |
17,459.33 ₡ (34.31 $) |
-40.4 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
14,522.18 ₡ (28.54 $) |
17,082.14 ₡ (33.57 $) |
+17.6 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
4,500.00 ₡ (8.84 $) |
4,579.47 ₡ (9.00 $) |
+1.8 % |
Childcare | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
277,090.27 ₡ (544.56 $) |
217,461.06 ₡ (427.38 $) |
-21.5 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
5,052,035.91 ₡ (9,928.74 $) |
3,872,193.42 ₡ (7,610.00 $) |
-23.4 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
36,709.29 ₡ (72.14 $) |
24,439.35 ₡ (48.03 $) |
-33.4 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
27,762.93 ₡ (54.56 $) |
23,574.92 ₡ (46.33 $) |
-15.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
60,950.37 ₡ (119.79 $) |
43,839.96 ₡ (86.16 $) |
-28.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
53,464.54 ₡ (105.07 $) |
51,002.39 ₡ (100.23 $) |
-4.6 % |
Rent Per Month | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
394,155.88 ₡ (774.63 $) |
446,591.34 ₡ (877.68 $) |
+13.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
265,748.91 ₡ (522.27 $) |
323,681.57 ₡ (636.13 $) |
+21.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
737,385.51 ₡ (1,449.18 $) |
824,890.90 ₡ (1,621.15 $) |
+11.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
507,821.23 ₡ (998.02 $) |
584,305.85 ₡ (1,148.33 $) |
+15.1 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
120,687.25 ₡ (237.19 $) |
149,975.65 ₡ (294.75 $) |
+24.3 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
65,882.45 ₡ (129.48 $) |
87,470.75 ₡ (171.91 $) |
+32.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | Costa Rica Edit |
Puerto Rico Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
506,764.76 ₡ (995.94 $) |
1,291,324.25 ₡ (2,537.83 $) |
+154.8 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.53 | 5.57 | -47.1 % |
| Last update: | 22 May 2025 | 23 May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 122 | 98 |
Other comparisons Costa Rica vs Puerto Rico: