Cost of Living in Costa Rica
Summary of cost of living in Costa Rica:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 3,318.8$ (1,668,803.0₡), excluding rent.
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 911.9$ (458,541.3₡), excluding rent.
- Cost of living in Costa Rica is, on average, 21.9% lower than in United States.
- Rent in Costa Rica is, on average, 55.7% lower than in United States.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 5,000.00 ₡ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 30,000.00 ₡ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 5,000.00 ₡ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 1,500.00 ₡ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2,400.00 ₡ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 1,987.14 ₡ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 1,090.70 ₡ | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 842.05 ₡ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3,797.02 ₡ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 1,445.85 ₡ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 541.26 ₡ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 1,712.64 ₡ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 2,103.62 ₡ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 2,145.86 ₡ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 3,005.95 ₡ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 999.75 ₡ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 369.55 ₡ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 731.35 ₡ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 691.03 ₡ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 676.63 ₡ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 644.68 ₡ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 505.84 ₡ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1,243.91 ₡ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8,000.00 ₡ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1,172.90 ₡ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 1,377.16 ₡ | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 2,500.00 ₡ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 500.00 ₡ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 25,000.00 ₡ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 910.00 ₡ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 1,609.34 ₡ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 3,845.00 ₡ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 2,833.42 ₡ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 18,250,000.00 ₡ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 17,808,044.58 ₡ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 44,585.26 ₡ | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 12,902.03 ₡ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 27,491.97 ₡ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 28,746.04 ₡ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 15,308.33 ₡ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 4,000.00 ₡ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 275,407.37 ₡ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 4,859,554.89 ₡ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 36,965.65 ₡ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 27,538.29 ₡ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 62,650.90 ₡ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 53,971.64 ₡ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 389,984.47 ₡ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 266,724.41 ₡ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 733,795.68 ₡ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 502,907.17 ₡ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 125,480.97 ₡ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 69,780.37 ₡ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 512,661.55 ₡ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 10.29 |
Prices in Costa Rica
This country had 1250 entries in the past 12 months by 115 different contributors.
Last update: April 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: April 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Sources and References
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Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Costa Rica
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 PortuguêsCusto de Vida na Costa Rica
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 ItalianoCosto della Vita in Costa Rica
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 FrançaisCoût de la Vie au Costa Rica
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 EspañolCosto de Vida en Costa Rica
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