Cost of living comparison
Costa Rica is 77.7% more expensive than Ecuador overall.
- Restaurants
-
pay 2.2 times more in Costa Rica
- Groceries
-
pay 75.9% more in Costa Rica
- Transportation
-
pay 76.5% more in Costa Rica
- Housing
-
pay 91.0% more in Costa Rica
- Childcare
-
pay 2.3 times more in Costa Rica
- Entertainment and Sports
-
pay 34.8% more in Costa Rica
- Clothing
-
pay 15.3% more in Costa Rica
The cost of childcare, restaurants, housing, transportation, groceries, and entertainment and sports in Costa Rica are more expensive than in Ecuador. Notably, childcare, restaurants, and housing are significantly more expensive in Costa Rica.
If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Ecuador, you would:
pay 2.2 times more for restaurants
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$3.39
|
$9.75
CRC4,861.38
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$6.83
|
$9.08
CRC4,529.24
|
|
Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$0.90
|
$2.01
CRC1,002.75
|
|
Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$0.62
|
$1.49
CRC743.89
|
|
pay 75.9% more for groceries
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$1.64
|
$2.53
CRC1,262.89
|
|
Local cheese (8 oz) |
$3.00
|
$3.76
CRC1,876.61
|
|
Milk (1 gallon) |
$4.18
|
$6.98
CRC3,479.13
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$2.19
|
$3.21
CRC1,602.04
|
|
Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$2.60
|
$3.97
CRC1,980.43
|
|
Apples (1 lb) |
$0.87
|
$1.79
CRC892.43
|
|
Bananas (1 lb) |
$0.53
|
$0.62
CRC307.67
|
|
Oranges (1 lb) |
$0.59
|
$1.22
CRC606.66
|
|
Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$0.54
|
$1.22
CRC609.28
|
|
Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.53
|
$1.09
CRC545.77
|
|
Onions (1 lb) |
$0.49
|
$1.11
CRC555.45
|
|
pay 76.5% more for transportation
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$2.46
|
$5.63
CRC2,806.40
|
|
Monthly public transit pass |
$24.42
|
$49.00
CRC24,437.54
|
|
New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$23,111.11
|
$35,063.37
CRC17,487,364.97
|
|
Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$12.51
|
$15.62
CRC7,791.37
|
|
pay 91.0% more for housing
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$30.71
|
$48.50
CRC24,188.91
|
|
1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$344.59
|
$778.04
CRC388,035.38
|
|
1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$278.18
|
$547.50
CRC273,059.59
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$37.19
|
$68.26
CRC34,042.58
|
|
pay 2.3 times more for childcare
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$227.49
|
$519.07
CRC258,877.67
|
|
Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$4,800.83
|
$10,987.74
CRC5,479,982.83
|
|
pay 34.8% more for entertainment and sports
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$2.17
|
$2.73
CRC1,360.13
|
|
Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$2.37
|
$3.65
CRC1,822.50
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$5.97
|
$4.58
CRC2,285.36
|
|
Monthly membership at local gym |
$32.03
|
$59.46
CRC29,655.13
|
|
Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$6.55
|
$8.63
CRC4,302.05
|
|
pay 15.3% more for clothing
Ecuador
|
Costa Rica
|
||
---|---|---|---|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$53.26
|
$65.32
CRC32,579.25
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$46.74
|
$44.54
CRC22,213.88
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$93.54
|
$110.39
CRC55,053.23
|
|
Men's business shoes (leather) |
$77.58
|
$97.22
CRC48,485.54
|
|
Change currency:
Help us improve these prices
ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY
Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Costa Rica or Ecuador. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.