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Grocery Prices in Costa Rica in August 2026

San Jose's RULATAM city price survey. A basket of 50 items went up to 148,879.57 CRC/324.36 USD.

For the month, basket prices rose 1.1 percent; the current basket costs CRC 148,879.57. Prices are checked from August 20 to August 28 for everyday retail goods; so the cost of living in Costa Rica is tracked over time, not by anecdotal impressions.

August 2026
Main output

How much did a basic city basket cost in San Jose?

San Jose's RULATAM city price survey. A basket of 50 items went up to 152,389.57 CRC / 340.04 USD.

period:August 2026Costa Rica 50 begins in June 2026
comparison:+0,9%by July 2026, in CRC; USD +2.6%
USD exchange rate:459,00CRC/USD to recalculate the release
Costa Rica 50:152 389,57CRC · 340,04 USD

What the measurement shows

For the month, basket prices rose 0.9%; the current basket costs 152,389.57 CRC. Prices were checked from August 20 to 25 for everyday retail goods; so the cost of living in Costa Rica is tracked over time, not by anecdotal impressions.

The methodology, categories and full price table are published below.

Prices in Costa Rica in August 2026. San Jose's RULATAM city price survey. A basket of 50 items went up to 148,879.57 CRC/324.36 USD.

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.

What's published

The archive preserves the output and a limited comparative sample, the complete basket and the complete price register are internal RULATAM data.

How Prices Are Collected

Collection period: From August 20 to August 28, 2026, the measurement is in San Jose; it's the city price, not the national average.

Sources of release: Walmart Costa Rica, Maxi Palí, Auto Mercado, Masxmenos and other online and offline marketplaces, including delivery services.

In this release, 68% of items are confirmed by public online prices, 32% by photos, checks, receipts or manual on-site checks, and all 50 lines are cross-edited: product, packaging, weight, unit of measurement, availability and deviation from the previous release are compared.

For each item, the minimum current retail price of a comparable product is searched for; a share per unit is allowed without a club card; discounts for several products are excluded; offers for two for the price of one, personal and club prices are not counted; price per kilogram is priority for bulk goods; inappropriate packaging is normalized only by a fixed rule.

Some of the retail prices are not published online: these lines are confirmed by local volunteers with photos, checks and receipts, the source and the screenshot are stored in the release register. The index is not an official cost of living statistic.

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

Largest Price Increase and Decrease

Largest increase: Apples, +11.7% compared to the previous release.

Largest decrease: Dove Original soap, 18.5% of the previous release.

History Price Archive Open →

Survey Summary

TOTAL FOR 50 ITEMS 324 USD You need to buy 50 standard goods in Costa Rica
Working hours:83 hoursYou need to work to buy products from the index in Costa Rica
Coffee cup index:41 cupsThe equivalent of the cost of 50 index goods in Costa Rica
Country Publications about life in Costa Rica Open →
RULATAM sign How to read How to Read the Index

We've been monitoring prices in Latin America since 2016, and in 2026 Costa Rica joined the monitoring network, and it's in San Jose, and the standard basket of 50 products is the same for all countries where RULATAM operates, and it helps you quickly compare the cost of living across countries.

The index is checked by the locals, and if you want to participate in the development of a project in your city, fill out the volunteer questionnaire.

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RULATAM Get a residence permit and citizenship of Costa Rica Open →

Frequently Asked Questions

In 2026, the cost of living in Costa Rica on the index is 148 879,57 CRCor 324,36 USD at an exchange rate of 459,00 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 release for August 2026, prices are considered 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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Monthly dynamics are calculated on 35 out of 50 items with an unchanged base of comparison; the remaining items received a new comparable base after normalization.