Cost of Living Comparison Between Malaysia and Costa Rica 
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| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Costa Rica is 60.6% higher than in Malaysia (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Costa Rica is 68.4% higher than in Malaysia | |
| Rent Prices in Costa Rica are 103.2% higher than in Malaysia | |
| Restaurant Prices in Costa Rica are 102.4% higher than in Malaysia | |
| Groceries Prices in Costa Rica are 43.0% higher than in Malaysia | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Costa Rica is 35.9% lower than in Malaysia | |
Restaurants | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant |
15.00 RM (1,793.31 ₡) |
41.82 RM (5,000.00 ₡) |
+178.8 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course |
100.00 RM (11,955.43 ₡) |
250.93 RM (30,000.00 ₡) |
+150.9 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) |
20.00 RM (2,391.09 ₡) |
41.82 RM (5,000.00 ₡) |
+109.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) |
16.00 RM (1,912.87 ₡) |
12.55 RM (1,500.00 ₡) |
-21.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
20.00 RM (2,391.09 ₡) |
19.12 RM (2,285.94 ₡) |
-4.4 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) |
11.70 RM (1,398.41 ₡) |
16.77 RM (2,005.41 ₡) |
+43.4 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) |
3.26 RM (389.19 ₡) |
9.12 RM (1,089.98 ₡) |
+180.1 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) |
1.76 RM (210.58 ₡) |
7.10 RM (848.38 ₡) |
+302.9 % |
Markets | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
28.91 RM (3,456.54 ₡) |
32.31 RM (3,863.31 ₡) |
+11.8 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
3.70 RM (442.28 ₡) |
12.13 RM (1,449.73 ₡) |
+227.8 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) |
2.62 RM (313.55 ₡) |
4.74 RM (566.50 ₡) |
+80.7 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) |
8.70 RM (1,039.88 ₡) |
14.33 RM (1,712.86 ₡) |
+64.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
26.54 RM (3,173.42 ₡) |
17.22 RM (2,059.07 ₡) |
-35.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
7.85 RM (938.35 ₡) |
17.74 RM (2,121.00 ₡) |
+126.0 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) |
16.19 RM (1,935.53 ₡) |
25.45 RM (3,043.09 ₡) |
+57.2 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
5.42 RM (648.44 ₡) |
8.62 RM (1,030.08 ₡) |
+58.9 % |
| Banana (1 lb) |
2.81 RM (335.62 ₡) |
3.08 RM (368.15 ₡) |
+9.7 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
4.98 RM (595.74 ₡) |
5.91 RM (706.56 ₡) |
+18.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) |
2.87 RM (342.98 ₡) |
5.70 RM (681.73 ₡) |
+98.8 % |
| Potato (1 lb) |
2.08 RM (248.94 ₡) |
5.61 RM (671.23 ₡) |
+169.6 % |
| Onion (1 lb) |
2.34 RM (279.33 ₡) |
5.25 RM (627.69 ₡) |
+124.7 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) |
4.45 RM (532.46 ₡) |
4.26 RM (509.27 ₡) |
-4.4 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) |
2.40 RM (286.43 ₡) |
10.54 RM (1,260.31 ₡) |
+340.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
75.00 RM (8,966.57 ₡) |
66.92 RM (8,000.00 ₡) |
-10.8 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
12.09 RM (1,445.48 ₡) |
9.73 RM (1,163.33 ₡) |
-19.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
15.79 RM (1,888.12 ₡) |
11.62 RM (1,389.23 ₡) |
-26.4 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) |
18.00 RM (2,151.98 ₡) |
20.91 RM (2,500.00 ₡) |
+16.2 % |
Transportation | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) |
3.00 RM (358.66 ₡) |
4.18 RM (500.00 ₡) |
+39.4 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) |
50.00 RM (5,977.71 ₡) |
209.11 RM (25,000.00 ₡) |
+318.2 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) |
5.00 RM (597.77 ₡) |
7.70 RM (920.00 ₡) |
+53.9 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) |
6.04 RM (721.52 ₡) |
13.12 RM (1,569.11 ₡) |
+117.5 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) |
25.00 RM (2,988.86 ₡) |
32.16 RM (3,845.00 ₡) |
+28.6 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
7.77 RM (929.21 ₡) |
23.64 RM (2,825.75 ₡) |
+204.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) |
167,500.00 RM (20,025,343.05 ₡) |
154,323.20 RM (18,450,000.00 ₡) |
-7.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) |
132,825.43 RM (15,879,849.90 ₡) |
147,665.75 RM (17,654,073.98 ₡) |
+11.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
215.25 RM (25,734.58 ₡) |
365.88 RM (43,742.86 ₡) |
+70.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data |
44.06 RM (5,267.44 ₡) |
108.43 RM (12,963.00 ₡) |
+146.1 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
114.12 RM (13,643.88 ₡) |
228.59 RM (27,329.29 ₡) |
+100.3 % |
Sports And Leisure | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult |
155.34 RM (18,572.04 ₡) |
244.87 RM (29,275.72 ₡) |
+57.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) |
27.74 RM (3,317.00 ₡) |
121.46 RM (14,521.53 ₡) |
+337.8 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat |
20.00 RM (2,391.09 ₡) |
37.64 RM (4,500.00 ₡) |
+88.2 % |
Childcare | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child |
767.94 RM (91,810.80 ₡) |
2,317.34 RM (277,048.10 ₡) |
+201.8 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child |
29,306.25 RM (3,503,687.82 ₡) |
42,233.06 RM (5,049,142.81 ₡) |
+44.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) |
254.34 RM (30,407.73 ₡) |
307.04 RM (36,707.67 ₡) |
+20.7 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) |
141.55 RM (16,922.76 ₡) |
232.18 RM (27,758.39 ₡) |
+64.0 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
322.39 RM (38,543.58 ₡) |
509.74 RM (60,941.93 ₡) |
+58.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes |
278.17 RM (33,256.66 ₡) |
447.11 RM (53,453.99 ₡) |
+60.7 % |
Rent Per Month | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre |
1,671.46 RM (199,830.62 ₡) |
3,293.85 RM (393,793.69 ₡) |
+97.1 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre |
1,139.02 RM (136,174.47 ₡) |
2,220.30 RM (265,445.83 ₡) |
+94.9 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre |
3,047.17 RM (364,302.16 ₡) |
6,163.29 RM (736,847.17 ₡) |
+102.3 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre |
1,976.36 RM (236,282.47 ₡) |
4,244.61 RM (507,460.75 ₡) |
+114.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
795.36 RM (95,088.38 ₡) |
1,008.86 RM (120,613.02 ₡) |
+26.8 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
466.13 RM (55,727.62 ₡) |
550.66 RM (65,834.11 ₡) |
+18.1 % |
Salaries And Financing | Malaysia Edit |
Costa Rica Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
3,922.87 RM (468,996.05 ₡) |
4,236.82 RM (506,529.67 ₡) |
+8.0 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.20 | 10.53 | +150.9 % |
| Last update: | 22 May 2025 | 22 May 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 544 | 122 |
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