Costa Rica vs New Zealand - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Costa Rica New Zealand
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1328
$1877
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3222
$4176
🏠 One person rent
$625
$1088
🏘️ Family rent
$982
$1707
🍽️ Food expenses
$489
$524
🚐 Transport expenses
$67.1
$145
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1013
$3147
💸 GDP per capita
$18587
$49205
😃 Human freedom index
8.36
9.02
❤️ Life expectancy
80.8
83
👮 Corruption perceptions index
56
81
🌐 English speaking %
8.2%
97.8%
🎓 Higher education
75
91
😀 Quality of life
65
89
🏙️ Population
5.13M
5.29M

The average cost of living in Costa Rica ($1328) is 29% less expensive than in New Zealand ($1877). Costa Rica ranked 52nd vs 23rd for New Zealand in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.8 months in Costa Rica compared to 1.7 months in New Zealand. Ranked 59th and 18th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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Prices in Costa Rica vs New Zealand

We calculate prices for Costa Rica and New Zealand as a population-weighted mean of 9 and 31 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

Costa Rica New Zealand
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$9.94
$13.7
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$48.4
$66.5
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.69
$9.56
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.68
$6.74
 Cappuccino
$4.25
$3.55
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.1
$2.31
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$700
$1091
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$471
$924
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1192
$1832
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$811
$1481
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$61.4
$88.2
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$94.1
$136
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$50.2
$50.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
9.37%
6.19%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2325
$6066
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1680
$4220
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1
$2.5
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$59.9
$100
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$14.5
$18.9
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.42
$1.64
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.23
$1.75
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.45
$1.91
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.26
$1.74
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.88
$6.45
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.1
$8.67
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.53
$10.1
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.5
$14.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.23
$2.92
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.48
$2.21
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.83
$3.19
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.05
$4.85
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.18
$1.95
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.83
$1.54
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.69
$0.78
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.29
$2.3
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$17
$10.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.36
$3.03
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.27
$24.8
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$8.13
$10.6
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$9.94
$4.01
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.51
$1.79
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.3
$2.46
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$55.6
$37.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.79
$12.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$96.2
$37
💇 Haircut, simple
$15.9
$16.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$64.1
$73.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$125
$102
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$642
$859
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13147
$15346

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Costa Rica vs New Zealand

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In Costa Rica

City Cost of living Population
San Jose
$1454
335K
Limon
$1332
71.5K
Alajuela
$1323
44.4K
Liberia
$957
65.9K
Puntarenas
$825
41.5K
Cartago
$1290
22.8K
Heredia
$1378
16.7K
Tamarindo
$1832
7.13K
Santa Teresa
$1273
3K

In New Zealand

City Cost of living Population
Auckland
$2156
1.47M
Christchurch
$1787
383K
Wellington
$2037
216K
Tauranga
$1740
151K
Hamilton
$1474
177K
Lower Hutt
$1920
103K
Dunedin
$1579
106K
Napier
$1605
66.3K
Rotorua
$1393
58.5K
Palmerston North
$1458
81.5K
Hibiscus Coast
$1782
59.8K
Porirua
$1788
59.6K
Nelson
$1533
51.1K
Invercargill
$1318
50.2K
New Plymouth
$1304
57.6K
Upper Hutt
$1803
44.3K
Whangarei
$1261
54.4K
Gisborne
$1696
37K
Hastings
$1518
49K
Whanganui
$1528
42.2K
Queenstown
$2303
29K
Paraparaumu
$1741
30.1K
Timaru
$1894
28.7K
Pukekohe
$1527
26.5K
Taupo
$1523
25.4K
Blenheim
$1325
28.2K
Masterton
$1359
21.4K
Wanaka
$1623
8.9K
Avarua
$1066
4.8K
Manukau
$1646
4.12K