Cost of Living

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Live cost-of-living data for Santa Teresa — rent, groceries, transport, healthcare and more, sourced and cross-checked by AI and refreshed regularly.

CheapestNew York = 100
46/ 10054% cheaper than New York
$1,250/mo
Median Income
62/100
Safety
15%
Income Tax
tropical
Climate

Cost Breakdown by Category

Each score runs 0–100, where higher means pricier. Representative prices shown per category.

Housing
75/100
1-Bed Apartment (City Center)$950/month
1-Bed Apartment (Outside Center)$700/month
3-Bed Apartment (City Center)$2,100/month
Food & Groceries
62/100
Milk (1 liter)$1.25/liter
Bread (500g loaf)$2.5/loaf
Rice (1 kg)$1.6/kg
Transportation
55/100
Monthly Transit Pass$65/month
One-Way Ticket$2/trip
Taxi (1 km)$1.8/km
Utilities
50/100
Basic (Elec, Heat, Water, Garbage) 85m2$140/month
Internet (60+ Mbps)$50/month
Mobile Plan (10GB+)$35/month
Healthcare
65/100
Doctor Visit (15 min)$50/visit
Dentist Visit$75/visit
Prescription Medicine (avg)$12/course
Education
60/100
Preschool/Kindergarten (monthly)$550/month
International Primary School (yearly)$13,500/year
Language Course (12 weeks)$425/course
Entertainment
60/100
Cinema Ticket (1 seat)$10/ticket
Theater Ticket$35/ticket
Museum Entry$12/ticket
Clothing
60/100
Jeans (Levi's or similar)$60/pair
Summer Dress (Zara/H&M)$38/piece
Running Shoes (Nike/Adidas)$85/pair
Personal Care
55/100
Haircut (Men)$18/cut
Haircut (Women)$35/cut
Shampoo (400ml)$5.5/bottle
Dining Out
68/100
Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant$8/meal
Meal for 2 (Mid-Range)$50/meal
McMeal at McDonald's$8/meal
Childcare
65/100
Full-Day Daycare (monthly)$850/month
Babysitter (per hour)$14/hour
Pack of Diapers (60 ct)$22/pack
Fitness & Sports
55/100
Gym Membership (monthly)$55/month
Tennis Court Rent (1 hr)$22/hour
Swimming Pool (adult entry)$9/entry

Digital Nomad Profile

34 Mbps
Internet Speed
$250
Coworking/Month
fair
Café WiFi
moderate
English Level
growing
Nomad Community
45/100
Walkability

Best neighborhoods: Playa Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen, Mal Pais

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Santa Teresa cheap to live in?

Santa Teresa has a cost of living index of 46/100, where New York = 100. It is 54% cheaper than New York. A single person can live comfortably for approximately $1,640–$2,296 per month.

How much does rent cost in Santa Teresa?

A 1-bedroom apartment in the city center of Santa Teresa costs approximately $950/month. Outside the center, expect to pay around $700/month.

Is Santa Teresa good for digital nomads?

Santa Teresa has a growing digital nomad community. Average internet speed is 34 Mbps, café wifi reliability is fair, and coworking spaces run about $250/month. English proficiency is moderate.

What is the average salary in Santa Teresa?

The median net monthly salary in Santa Teresa is approximately $1,250 USD. The income tax rate is around 15%.

How does Santa Teresa compare to New York for cost of living?

Santa Teresa (cost index 46) is 54% cheaper than New York (cost index 100). You could save roughly $1,350/month by moving from New York to Santa Teresa.

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