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Grocery Prices in Costa Rica in July 2026

RULATAM city price survey in San José: A basket of 50 items costs 152,962.57 CRC / 335.61 USD.

For the month, the basket costs 152,962.57 CRC. Prices were checked July 30 for everyday retail goods; the cost of living in Costa Rica is tracked over time, not by anecdotal impressions. Rentals and personal expenses remain outside the index.

Key Points in This Release

This is the first release of RULATAM Costa Rica 50, and San Jose has been chosen as the metropolitan and most comparable market, intersecting regular chains, premium retail, budget formats and club purchases.

Methodology

Measuring is coming from San Jose; these are city prices, not the national average. Sources: Auto Mercado, Masxmenos, Walmart/Maxi Palí/Palí, Fresh Market, PriceSmart and other verifiable online sources from San Jose.

All prices are checked by RULATAM volunteers; the index excludes rent, utility bills, medicine, schools, taxes and flights; it is an applied monitoring of the cost of living, not official statistics.

Compare Prices in Other Countries
Argentina199,86 USDBrazil212,83 USDPanama211,53 USDUruguay282,03 USDParaguay202,25 USDCosta Rica346,36 USD
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Survey Summary

TOTAL FOR 50 ITEMS 336 USD You need to buy 50 standard goods in Costa Rica
Working hours:85 hours.You need to work to buy products from the index in Costa Rica
Coffee cup index:42 cupsThe equivalent of the cost of 50 index goods in Costa Rica
Country Publications about life in Costa Rica Open →

Archived Release Snapshot

This is the first public release of the archive for the country, so no change is shown yet: below only the five most expensive and the five cheapest items of release.

Five Most Expensive Items

ItemRelease Price
Gouda Cheese
Queso Gouda Tierno Frico · 1 kg		14 575,00 CRC · 31,98 USD
Fresh salmon fillet
Salmon Chileno Fresco Aquicola Auto Mercado Kilogramo · 1 kg		13 410,00 CRC · 29,42 USD
Beef fillet/steak cut
Lomito De Res Marca Don Cristobal Tenderizado - Precio por kg · 1 kg; price published per kg		10 320,00 CRC · 22,64 USD
Café Nescafé Clásico Instantáneo*
Café Nescafé Clásico Instantáneo Frasco - 200 g		9 440,00 CRC · 20,71 USD
Ariel Liquid Laundry Detergent*
Detergente Ariel Doble Poder Líquido Concentrado - 2.84 L		9 130,00 CRC · 20,03 USD

Five Least Expensive Items

ItemRelease Price
Green peas canned, 300--*
Guisantes Suli Petit Pois - 220 g		390,00 CRC · 0,86 USD
Salt shallow
Sal de alta pureza refisal bolsa - 500 g		480,00 CRC · 1,05 USD
Apples
Manzana gala Hortifruti empacada - 1 kg		616,00 CRC · 1,35 USD
Bananas
Banano Selección Especial Kilo - 5 a 7 unidades por kilo Aproximadamente · 1 kg; price published per kg		660,00 CRC · 1,45 USD
Potatoes
Papa Blanca Nacional Kilo - 4 Unidades Por Kilo Aproximadamente · 1 kg; price published per kg		730,00 CRC · 1,60 USD
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Frequently Asked Questions

In 2026, the cost of living in Costa Rica on the index is 152 962,57 CRCor 335,61 USD at an exchange rate of 454,48 CRC/USD It's an index of consumer items, not a full monthly budget for living in Costa Rica.

The index includes 50 comparable goods and services: foods, drinks, meats, vegetables and fruits, groceries, dairy products, household chemicals, hygiene, basic pharmacy goods, gasoline, coffee, cigarettes and Big Mac. The index excludes housing rent, utility payments, medicine, schools, taxes and flights.

For the release for July 2026, prices are counted by city San José.

Want to know what these prices mean for your family?

At RULATAM, you can compare Latin American countries based on your income, family comitem, terms, documents and real expenses, not just the basic basket.

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Content OwnerRULATAM Editorial Team
Editorial StatusThe methodology and measurement period are stated on this page
VersionUpdated 30.07.2026
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