Paradise doesn’t come cheap. Cars, gas, appliances, phones, TVs often cost more in Costa Rica. But not everything. Here’s a simple, like-for-like look at staples I buy all the time, using lowest supermarket prices I found in each place.
The basket
| Item | Costa Rica | United States | Cheaper in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1,800g bag → ₡1,700 | 1 lb bag $1.10 ≈ ₡2,200 for 1,800 g | Costa Rica |
| Black beans | 800g bag → ₡1,100 | 1 lb bag $1.80 ≈ ₡1,650 for 800 g | Costa Rica |
| Bananas | ₡50 each | ~$0.20–$0.30 each ≈ ₡100–₡150 | Costa Rica |
| Coffee | 250g bag → ₡1,500–₡2,000 | 280 g bag $8.00 ≈ ~₡4,000 per 250 g | Costa Rica |
| Cheddar cheese | 900g block → ₡5,500 | ½ lb $7.00 ≈ ₡13,000 for 900 g | Costa Rica |
| Eggs | 15 for ₡1,700 | 18 for $3.30 ≈ ₡1,650 | U.S. (lower per egg) |
| Beer | Spanish imports ₡450–₡650 can; nationals ₡900 can | 12-pack Yuengling $14.50 ≈ ₡650 per bottle | U.S. vs. CR national; similar vs. some imports |
| Chicken breast, boneless/skinless | ₡4,700/kg | ~$4/lb ≈ ₡4,400/kg | U.S. |
| Ground beef, premium | ₡5,500/kg | ~$7/lb ≈ ₡7,500/kg | Costa Rica |
| Spaghetti | 250 g pack ₡500 → ₡2,000/kg | 2 lb $3.50 ≈ ₡1,850/kg | U.S. |
| Pineapple | ₡900 each | ~$5.00 ≈ ₡2,500 | Costa Rica |
| Wheat tortillas | 10 pack ₡1,200 | 10 pack $3.00 ≈ ₡1,500 | Costa Rica |
What the basket says
- Buying one unit of each, I spend about ₡15,000 less in Costa Rica.
- Produce splits: onions, mushrooms, bell peppers were cheaper in the U.S. Avocados, watermelon, rambutan cheaper in Costa Rica.
- Beyond groceries, Costa Rica still wins on rent, water, electricity, property tax, and car insurance in my experience.
- Transit note: ₡6,000 in my wallet gets me from SJO to home, about 4 hours away.
Method and context
- I picked lowest supermarket prices I could find in each place on the same scan.
- Units are matched as closely as possible and converted to colones for a clean comparison.
- Regional price swings exist on both sides. Your cart will vary.
Bottom line
It’s all relative. There are many good reasons to live in Costa Rica. Saving money is no longer one of the automatic ones. Groceries can favor Costa Rica more than people think, but big-ticket items tilt the other way.
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