What’s Cheaper in Costa Rica than the US

I’m sure you’ve heard that Costa Rica is an expensive country to travel and live and you heard correctly. In fact it is ranked as one of the most expensive countries in Latin America (4th).

Despite many things being more expensive in Costa Rica, there are still many things that are cheaper in Costa Rica than the United States.

This will be helpful to those who are planning to move or live here for a period of time, so they can get a good idea of how much their monthly budget will be and how their money will be distributed. Also helpful to travelers just to get an idea of what prices are like.

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9 Things Cheaper in Costa Rica Than the US

Coffee

It helps that Costa Rica produces only high quality Arabica coffee so the price of a 12 ounce bag isn’t very expensive. Our favorite, 1820 is less than $6 per 12 ounce bag and even the most expensive brand, Cafe Britt and other specialty brands run on average $14 a bag.

So if you love coffee, first, take a coffee tour and then stock up on some yummy coffee!

Beer

We went out with some friends in Seattle once and Yeison nearly stopped drinking for the rest of our time in Washington when he saw how much his beer cost. He had never paid $10 (or even $5) for one beer before so it was quite the shocker for him.

This is one of the things my friends and family love about visiting me in Costa Rica – how cheap the beer is compared to the US. In the US, we’re used to paying an arm and a leg for beer and drinks, especially at a bar or fancy restaurant.

But in Costa Rica, Yeison would be astounded if a local beer cost more than $3-4 at a bar. It was hilarious to see my friends go crazy over how cheap local beer was. We’d go to the market and they’d be stocking up on 6 packs with no shame.

Public transportation

Costa Rica’s public transportation may not be the most efficient or have the most coverage, but it sure is cheap. A 297 kilometer (184 miles), 5-6 hour bus ride from San Jose to Playas del Coco costs roughly $10 one way per person.

A 41 mile, 1.5 hour bus ride from Seattle to Lakewood costs $3.50.

I recently visited New Jersey and took the NJ Transit to go to New York City. That 20 mile bus ride cost me $7.50 one way.

Beauty Services

I’m used to paying at least $55 USD + tip for a haircut in the US and around $100 USD + tip for highlights. In Costa Rica, I paid $20 USD for a haircut and deep conditioning treatment with keratin. It’s cheap for guys too, Yeison gets his hair cut for $10 USD.

As for other beauty services like massages or manicures, I paid $10 USD for a manicure in San Jose.

However, in any touristic destination, more so at the beach), you’ll pay more. I have seen manicures for around $40 in the Tamarindo area which is very much like US prices.

Massages are also generally cheaper in Costa Rica than the United States. In La Fortuna, you can get a 1 hour relaxing massage for $40. But if you go to a spa inside a luxury resort, you will find more US prices.

My tip is if you’re looking to get any type of beauty service done, ask the locals where they go. Keep in mind that most local places don’t speak English so if you don’t speak Spanish, you may feel more comfortable going somewhere that’s English speaking but it will be more expensive.

Health Care

This is a big reason why you will see so many North American retirees in Costa Rica: the healthcare. The US is too expensive and Canada takes too long so they go to Costa Rica where they can apply for a retired residency card, pay ~$40 a month and take advantage of the government health care which gives medications and appointments for free.

Private health care is also cheaper than in the US but also keep in mind that many private clinics will charge a separate foreigner and local price. Foreigner prices are still cheaper than the US.

Dental work is also considerably cheaper so you will see that medical tourism is very popular in Costa Rica.

Cigarettes

We don’t smoke but you can get a pack of smokes for about $3-5 USD at the supermarket in Costa Rica.

Pet services

Getting your dog’s teeth cleaned is really expensive in the USA. It can cost around $300-700 USD. In Costa Rica, you can get it for much less (around $100 or so) and pet meds cost a lot less too. However, items for pets are expensive.

What’s not cheaper in Costa Rica for pets however is food and toys. Pet food is SO expensive in Costa Rica! The same brand in Costa Rica costs twice as much as the US!

Toys, crates, dog beds, collars and treats are so expensive too. So while actual vet services are cheaper, those items cost a lot more since they pretty much import all of it.

Read more posts about living in Costa Rica below.

How Yeison and I live in Costa Rica for under $2000 a month.