Cost of Living Comparison Between El Salvador and Costa Rica 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Costa Rica is 32.8% higher than in El Salvador (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Costa Rica is 27.5% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 11.7% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 49.6% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 31.4% higher than in El Salvador | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 58.6% higher than in El Salvador | |
Restaurants | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
7.50 $ (3,816.22 ₡) |
9.83 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+31.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
30.00 $ (15,264.89 ₡) |
58.96 $ (30,000.00 ₡) |
+96.5 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
7.00 $ (3,561.81 ₡) |
9.83 $ (5,000.00 ₡) |
+40.4 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
2.00 $ (1,017.66 ₡) |
2.95 $ (1,500.00 ₡) |
+47.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
3.12 $ (1,590.09 ₡) |
4.50 $ (2,289.73 ₡) |
+44.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
3.38 $ (1,717.70 ₡) |
3.94 $ (2,006.41 ₡) |
+16.8 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
1.12 $ (570.91 ₡) |
2.14 $ (1,090.08 ₡) |
+90.9 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
0.86 $ (438.10 ₡) |
1.67 $ (848.73 ₡) |
+93.7 % |
Markets | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
7.10 $ (3,614.24 ₡) |
7.59 $ (3,863.46 ₡) |
+6.9 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
1.81 $ (921.13 ₡) |
2.85 $ (1,449.85 ₡) |
+57.4 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
0.72 $ (368.66 ₡) |
1.11 $ (566.54 ₡) |
+53.7 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
2.61 $ (1,325.84 ₡) |
3.37 $ (1,713.06 ₡) |
+29.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
3.33 $ (1,696.35 ₡) |
4.05 $ (2,059.25 ₡) |
+21.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
2.60 $ (1,324.68 ₡) |
4.17 $ (2,121.18 ₡) |
+60.1 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
4.39 $ (2,235.27 ₡) |
5.98 $ (3,043.27 ₡) |
+36.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
1.52 $ (773.63 ₡) |
2.02 $ (1,030.14 ₡) |
+33.2 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
0.85 $ (432.48 ₡) |
0.72 $ (368.20 ₡) |
-14.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
1.16 $ (589.11 ₡) |
1.39 $ (706.62 ₡) |
+19.9 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
1.23 $ (624.70 ₡) |
1.34 $ (681.78 ₡) |
+9.1 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
1.08 $ (550.20 ₡) |
1.32 $ (671.27 ₡) |
+22.0 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
0.99 $ (503.93 ₡) |
1.23 $ (627.74 ₡) |
+24.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
0.99 $ (505.65 ₡) |
1.00 $ (509.37 ₡) |
+0.7 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
1.12 $ (571.92 ₡) |
2.48 $ (1,260.31 ₡) |
+120.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
12.00 $ (6,105.96 ₡) |
15.72 $ (8,000.00 ₡) |
+31.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
1.65 $ (840.73 ₡) |
2.29 $ (1,163.40 ₡) |
+38.4 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
2.44 $ (1,243.45 ₡) |
2.73 $ (1,389.37 ₡) |
+11.7 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
4.00 $ (2,035.32 ₡) |
4.91 $ (2,500.00 ₡) |
+22.8 % |
Transportation | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
0.35 $ (178.09 ₡) |
0.98 $ (500.00 ₡) |
+180.8 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
28.75 $ (14,628.85 ₡) |
49.13 $ (25,000.00 ₡) |
+70.9 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
6.50 $ (3,307.39 ₡) |
1.81 $ (920.00 ₡) |
-72.2 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
4.83 $ (2,456.65 ₡) |
3.08 $ (1,569.11 ₡) |
-36.1 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
20.00 $ (10,176.59 ₡) |
7.56 $ (3,845.00 ₡) |
-62.2 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
3.84 $ (1,954.19 ₡) |
5.55 $ (2,825.94 ₡) |
+44.6 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
25,000.00 $ (12,720,740.55 ₡) |
36,259.68 $ (18,450,000.00 ₡) |
+45.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
26,532.35 $ (13,500,443.36 ₡) |
34,708.35 $ (17,660,636.28 ₡) |
+30.8 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
91.31 $ (46,460.45 ₡) |
85.97 $ (43,745.81 ₡) |
-5.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
19.83 $ (10,091.50 ₡) |
25.48 $ (12,964.61 ₡) |
+28.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
41.17 $ (20,946.82 ₡) |
53.72 $ (27,333.59 ₡) |
+30.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
30.65 $ (15,593.51 ₡) |
57.55 $ (29,281.51 ₡) |
+87.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
19.22 $ (9,779.71 ₡) |
28.54 $ (14,522.18 ₡) |
+48.5 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
5.00 $ (2,544.15 ₡) |
8.84 $ (4,500.00 ₡) |
+76.9 % |
Childcare | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
141.89 $ (72,197.27 ₡) |
544.56 $ (277,090.27 ₡) |
+283.8 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
4,236.75 $ (2,155,783.90 ₡) |
9,928.74 $ (5,052,035.91 ₡) |
+134.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
56.94 $ (28,971.63 ₡) |
72.14 $ (36,709.29 ₡) |
+26.7 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
40.00 $ (20,353.18 ₡) |
54.56 $ (27,762.93 ₡) |
+36.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
111.11 $ (56,536.62 ₡) |
119.79 $ (60,950.37 ₡) |
+7.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
96.88 $ (49,292.87 ₡) |
105.07 $ (53,464.54 ₡) |
+8.5 % |
Rent Per Month | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
726.87 $ (369,851.90 ₡) |
774.63 $ (394,155.88 ₡) |
+6.6 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
652.47 $ (331,994.89 ₡) |
522.27 $ (265,748.91 ₡) |
-20.0 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
1,100.83 $ (560,136.61 ₡) |
1,449.18 $ (737,385.51 ₡) |
+31.6 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
870.56 $ (442,966.32 ₡) |
998.02 $ (507,821.23 ₡) |
+14.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
218.91 $ (111,388.59 ₡) |
237.19 $ (120,687.25 ₡) |
+8.3 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
134.80 $ (68,592.48 ₡) |
129.48 $ (65,882.45 ₡) |
-4.0 % |
Salaries And Financing | El Salvador Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
492.69 $ (250,696.44 ₡) |
995.94 $ (506,764.76 ₡) |
+102.1 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 9.14 | 10.53 | +15.2 % |
| Last update: | 20 May 2025 | 22 May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 44 | 122 |
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