If you’ve researched living or moving to Costa Rica, one of the reasons for your move is probably the cost of living in Costa Rica.
As Costa Rica is a top retiree destination for Europeans, Canada and USA, many retirees move here because of the cost of living in Costa Rica. It’s a lot cheaper and they can make their social security check stretch far longer.
For digital nomads, they want to enjoy the great weather, beaches and fun outdoor adventures Costa Rica offers while they are able to work online.
In case you’re thinking about moving to Costa Rica whether temporarily or permanently, you can get an idea of how much living in Costa Rica will cost you.
What is the Cost of Living in Costa Rica?
Below is our personal cost of living in Costa Rica from when we used to live in Playas del Coco, back in 2014. Although our situation has changed and we don’t live there anymore, this will give you a good idea of how much it will cost to live in Costa Rica.
*At this time, we were two adults working work from home full time. No kids, no pets.*
All prices are in USD.
Cost of Living in Costa Rica: Rent
Monthly rent: $400 without utilities
We lived in Las Palmas, a popular neighborhood in Playas del Coco. Our condo was a loft, with one bedroom and one full bathroom. Our loft was quite small, about 400 square feet or 37 sq meters.
Rent was $400 USD a month without any utilities. No security, laundry, water, electricity, Internet or cable.
However, unlike other complexes in Las Palmas, ours didn’t have a pool, laundry or rancho. Most condo complexes in Las Palmas have all those things so we were able to negotiate a bit of a cheaper price back then.
Our place was not really furnished either so we bought nearly everything: bed, washing machine, couch, coffee table, tv set, dining table, chairs, curtains, etc.
Cost of living in Costa Rica for rent varies as it depends on what kind of place you want to live in. You can find very “Tico” style (like local style homes) for cheaper prices like $300-800 USD a month. Those are usually in local neighborhoods/towns and have minimal furnishings.
On the other hand, you can find luxury homes and condos for $1000 USD and up.
Location is important too
It also depends on location. Want to be in walking distance to the beach or right in downtown? It’ll be more expensive. Renting in Tamarindo, Jaco or in the nice neighborhoods of San Jose? Plan to pay a LOT more than if you were to stay in a local town like Atenas or San Ramon. Touristic coastal towns and the nice city neighborhoods are always more expensive.
*When we lived in Jaco for 6 months in 2015, we lived in Costa Linda Condominios and paid $750 USD a month for 2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms with security, parking, laundry, Internet, cable and pool. This was a very nice condo in a tower with an elevator. When we lived in Villarreal in 2016, the small town outside Tamarindo, our rent was $375 for a 1 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, non furnished place, no utilities. We always paid 6 months in advance. This was not the nicest apartment. It was very old and needed a A LOT of maintenance.*
Electricity: ~$80
We mainly used one air conditioning unit at night and a bit during the day. Electricity isn’t that cheap in Costa Rica unfortunately. For a 400 square foot place (37 sq meters), it definitely cost more than I expected to run the AC at night in just the bedroom and a couple hours in the living room.
I know some people who left their two or three ACs on all day and night and their bill came out to be four hundred dollars a month. Depending on what your standard of living is and your tolerance to heat, your electricity bill can get much higher than $70 a month.
Water: ~$10
Internet and Phone~$80
Our Internet provider was Tigo and we have 5 mb speed. We do not have cable. If we wanted cable, it would have been $80 with the same speed of Internet as a package.
*Now we have fiber optic with Kolbi and it costs around $80 a month.
Yeison had a contract with ICE for around $25 a month for his iPhone and I have a prepaid SIM card that I normally spend about $10 a month with calls, text and data.
*Now I have a Costa Rican phone number with a paid contract, our bill is around $78 USD for both phone lines with Kolbi.
Groceries: $400
Groceries takes up a big chunk of our monthly budget. We usually did one big shopping trip every week or so. For each big shopping trip we spent approximately $150.
There are many things more expensive in Costa Rica and food is one of them in Playas del Coco, particularly meat. Depending on how big your family is or what you buy, your expenses can skyrocket past $400 a month easily.
We used to shop a lot at Super Luperon and Auto Mercado in Playas del Coco but now in 2021, the Pricemart in Liberia is open so we go there for a lot of things now. If you plan to live in Costa Rica long term, we highly recommend purchasing a Pricemart membership for grocery shopping. (Pricemart is exactly like a Costco in the US and they are found in Liberia and the GAM cities such as San Jose, Alajuela and Heredia).
Gas and Car Maintenance: $150
*Yeison and I work from home so we were not driving to and from work everyday.*
Back then, we didn’t go out much. We walked to the beach and would only drive if we were going outside of Playas del Coco like to other beaches or Liberia. That helped keep our gas costs down a lot. Additionally, we had a 4 door small sedan with a V4 engine so it didn’t spend too much.
Something to note is that gas costs considerably more in Costa Rica than in the United States. However, diesel is readily available and cheaper than gas so in 2017, we switched our car to a diesel car. We drive a lot more now since we live about 10 kilometers from the beach so we have to drive to surf.
Cars are extremely expensive in Costa Rica so a lot of foreigners purchase used cars instead of brand new cars.
Going out: $150
Yeison and I aren’t huge partiers so we never spent much money on going out. We don’t smoke so no money for cigarettes or marijuana. Yeison does like to drink beer, sometimes whiskey but that’s about it as I don’t drink or smoke.
A lot of people, especially our age, go out on weekends or weeknights to party and drink but we have always preferred small hang outs with friends. And instead of partying, we liked to go to the beach, fish, walk, swim, have a barbecue, etc.
As for eating out, Yeison and I didn’t eat out too much in Coco. We went out on the weekends sometimes and then a few times a week to maybe Subway or one of the local restaurants or bakeries. I love to cook and preferred to cook than eat out to be honest.
If you like fine dining and partying, you can end up spending a good several hundreds of dollars a month.
Misc
Yeison and I barely do any clothes shopping in Costa Rica. We usually buy clothes online and have our friends bring them from the States. Clothes is also expensive in Costa Rica so this could increase your expenses greatly if you go shopping often. Sometimes we’ll get a pair of flip flops or beach clothes when there is a sale or if we really need it.
We used to go to the movies maybe once a month, since the closest theater to us was in Liberia. Playa Hermosa has a nice theater too but it’s very small and usually only plays 2 movies so we only went there once.
Then we had other expenses like taxes, haircuts, gifts, travel, etc.
Our Cost of Living in Costa Rica
Back then, our cost of living in Costa Rica was pretty good, around $2000 USD a month. We lived in a nice little condo close to the beach. We lived simply but still had fun going out with friends, throwing barbecues and going to different beaches nearby.
Nowadays, our budget is quite different because we bought a property and have two dogs. So it’s a bit more than before as we have more expenses.
And if you talk to other foreigners living in Costa Rica, you’ll notice monthly expenses vary a lot. It honestly depends on your lifestyle. Do you want an ocean view luxury home? A big car? Do you leave your air conditioning on all day? Or just need the basics? Have kids or pets? It really depends!
When it comes down to it, it all depends on your standard of living in Costa Rica.
You don’t need to be making hundreds of thousands a year to have a good life in Costa Rica. Just like any other country, there are pros and cons. And just like other countries, there are things more expensive in Costa Rica and things cheaper in Costa Rica.
What your cost of living in Costa Rica will be really depends on location and lifestyle. But we hope this post gives you at least an idea of what your budget may be if you plan to live here temporarily or permanently.
barb andersen says
Thank you for this info. My husband and I have both just retired. We would like to move to Costa Rica for three months, Jan- March, 2017, away from our cold Montana winter. We want to live near or on the beach. Can you recommend a good town. And can you give me some links or names of contacts for renting a furnished place for three months. I seem to only be finding vbrn places for less time. Did you rent a car in CR? Thank you for any help you can give me.
Sammi says
Hi Barb, for retirees I’d check out Playas del Coco/Playa Hermosa/Playa Ocotal. Many of the retired people prefer those areas. You can find real estate places or property management companies online if you Google it. We have a car in Costa Rica.
Jay Torrey says
Hello,
I must say your blog is awesome and following your journey has been pretty awesome so far. My wife and I have been getting the itch to move there at some point. I am practicing Chiropractor here in the states and I wanted to ask if there are many over there practicing? My goal would be to practice a few days and continue to run our business from the home. Anyways, I appreciate your time 🙂
yeison says
Hello Jay,
If you go the central valley (San Jose, Heredia, Cartago, Alajuela) you might find some Chiropractors. We used to live in playas del Coco and we met just one, he was from the states and he was retired. Have a great week J
Joe Tursi says
“Our lifestyle is Tico so to speak but I do have to be honest. I do miss some things from the States like my favorite brand of chips (Doritos) which costs $6 for a small bag, Special K cereal which costs $8 for a box and clothes shopping during sales.”
I always get a kick out of statements like this from us Gringos because where I live, in Heredia, most Ticos live EXACTLY like gringos; big cars, lots of imported food, huge TVs and eating out at Outback, etc. I live with all Ticos here and my 30 year old Tico neighbor just bought his second car, brand new. He works for Amazon. So, my point is simply that to “live like a Tico” may not always mean living a frugal life!. My neighbor Rogelio, also HATES rice and beans. LOL!
Sammi says
Oh yes, there are definitely many many rich Ticos in CR, especially in the city where all the good jobs are. And many rich Ticos in Escazu! Obviously my change in US lifestyle to Tico lifestyle is much different since I moved to Guanacaste so I use that as my reference. There aren’t as many rich Ticos with huge mansions and 2 or 3 cars in Guanacaste.
Whenever we go to the city I’m always surprised because I forget how much money is in the capital, since I’m used to being in Guanacaste. Many of Yeison’s friends that I’ve met who work and live in the capital (and one also is the manager of Amazon) have really nice cars and all that jazz. Costa Rica is just like any other country – there are rich and poor people.
Raquel Ade says
You Mentioned Amazon being in Costa Rica, Does that mean Amazon is or will be shipping to CR any time soon, Or do you have any knowledge of this? BTW We are coming down in a week for the second time. We love the country and its people and are strongly considering moving down in 2020. Our dream is to build/buy 3-4 villas to rent, as a supplemental income. Also we love the Eco attitude and are prepared to go 100% eco, with solar panels, Rain Water Collection, and a few farm animals to food.
Sammi says
Hi Raquel, there is an Amazon customer service office in San Jose. You will have to check if the item you want delivers to Costa Rica but it is suuuper expensive to do so. You will have to pay a ton of shipping taxes. There are some companies in Costa Rica that have a dedicated office to receiving Amazon packages so you can buy it online, have it shipped to their office, pay their fee and pick it up from there. It’s difficult for Amazon here not only because it’s expensive, but because addresses are very difficult.
wendy says
Hello-Can you tell me if a couple could visit there for say 3 months could you get by without a car? I don’t know much about the area. My daughter did some mission trips but she was not in the more developed areas. I know more since I have been reading your blog and fb, Thank you very much.
Wemdy
Sammi says
You technically could… but it’d be tough if you want to explore or travel. We personally have to have a car since we travel a lot and like to explore the area. I know people who have lived here for awhile without a car but they don’t travel to other parts of the country and mostly just stay at home and in the town they live. If you live in a small town, you can get a bike or rent a golf cart so that way you can do your grocery shopping, errands and go out easily. But if you live somewhere more rural that doesn’t have a lot of buses, you’d be quite stuck. It really depends on where you live, the city like San Jose has a lot of buses to get to everywhere but areas like Mal Pais are more isolated.
Jazz says
Hi! I am enjoying reading your blog and you sharing your experience in living in Costa Rica, thanks. My plan is to move to Costa Rica and become an english teacher in 2018. Do you know any expats that have taken the TEFL? How much start up money would you suggest to have saved? I am comfortable living on a small budget and don’t require a lot of luxuries. Thanks for getting back to me.
Sammi says
Hi Jazz, I actually took my TEFL before I moved to Costa Rica, my plan was also to teach English but I found out that it’s pretty tough here since there aren’t any programs for foreigners like there are in Asia and it’s extremely difficult for foreigners to get a work visa. Probably 99% of foreigners who teach English in CR do it under the table at private schools and only do it for 1 year or 2, and the pay is not great. How much to save up depends on where you’re living, I had a friend who taught English in a very rural area near Fortuna and she didn’t spend very much, then we have friends who teach English in Guanacaste by the beach and they need to spend a couple thousand a month.
Jazz Gascon says
Good to know, what TEFL course would you recommend? It does seem difficult to get a job in CR.
Sammi says
I took one online but there are a couple of TEFL schools actually in Costa Rica, I think in Playa Samara and Heredia. Or there are many options online too. Yes, to get an official job with a work visa is nearly impossible since COsta Rica only gives work visas to foreigners who are filling a job a Costa Rican can’t do – which is pretty much nothing since Costa Ricans are highly educated and there are locals for every profession. So foreigners have to work under the table and usually in private schools on the coasts or in rural areas.
Alison says
Thanks for sharing this! How reliable is your Internet connection. I am planning a pre-move visit, and I would be running my business remotely. Do you have frequent outages?
Sammi says
Hi Alison, yes Internet here is notorious for being slow and laggy. Unless you get at least 5 mb and above, steady internet is impossible. We were paying $50 for 2mb which also crashed and stopped constantly. We ended up buying a Hotspot from Kolbi called a MiFi which we use. We get 4g almost everywhere and it works amazing for us. We work online, uploading/downloading all sorts of things and we can watch Netflix on it with two devices connected with no problem. I highly suggest testing out the area you will live in if you can get 4g and if it does, we recommend getting one of those. It’s much cheaper.
wendy says
how do you know if a certain area will get 4g when you were commenting about your internet which is important to me.
Thank you!
Sammi says
It will say on your phone (4g)
Anji says
Curious…it sounds like food is expensive, specifically meats. With me being vegan, would it be fair to say my grocery bill would be drastically less since I wouldn’t be purchasing meats or any animal products? I’ve always heard the produce in central and south America is amazing and quite cheap.
Sammi says
Probably! There are certain places in CR where you can find vegan friendly stores and restaurants, but just a handful. You can get by with just produce though, those are reasonable prices.
Dan says
Sharing info on budget is a tremendous help, thanks. we are thinking of moving to San Jose for about 3 years or so once we make a final decision. I know that in other countries they have anticresis or anticretico arrangements is that still a possibility there? We would not want to live in the expat areas but rather in a place a local might choose to live.
Dan
Sammi says
Yep! They don’t need citizenship either but many foreigners invest or open their own business and get their residency. There are a lot of resources out there on how to do so, International Living has some good ones to begin with you can check out
Cindy says
Thank you for the reply !
Is it possible for a foreigner to purchase or start a business and operate it ourselves, eg café, bistro, B&B etc
Mark says
Like the info plan on visiting soon. Thanks
yeison says
You are welcome Mark!