COSTA RICA COST OF LIVING INFORMATION
1. Real estate taxes -- approximately $150/year for $100,000 house
2. Auto taxes -- approximately $180/year on average used car
3. Electricity -- $35/month average
4. Telephone -- $6.50/month average
5. Public water -- $3.50/month average
6. Medical insurance -- 9% of salary paid by employees and 9% paid by employer
7. Dentist -- $20 average; Medical visit is $20 average too
8. Labor (plentiful) -- unskilled $1.25/hour; skilled $2.50/hour
9. Auto repair -- approximately 30% US costs
10. Taxi fare -- $3 to $5 local average
11. Gasoline (premium) -- $4.75/gallon
12. Haircut -- $4 for man; $5 to $6 for woman
13. P.O. Box -- $5.00/year
14. Furniture -- custom built, top quality materials and finish approximately 30% of comparable US products
15. Tire repair (pinchata) -- $4.00 average
16. Tools (quality) -- approximately 80% US cost
17. Restaurants -- lunch about $4.00, dinner about $10.00 (medium pizza $4.50)
18. Red wine (vino rojo) top quality Chilean (Santa Carolina) -- $8.50/bottle
19. Food -- fresh fruits (all varieties) about 40% US cost, fresh vegetables (all varieties) about 35% US cost, beef steaks (top cuts) about 50% US cost