Average Salary in Costa Rica 2026
Currency: CRC · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Costa Rica make?
Average Monthly Salary
629,720 CRC
( 7,556,640 CRC yearly )
~ 1,211 USD per month ( 14,532 USD yearly )
LOW
157,560 CRC
303 USD
AVERAGE
629,720 CRC
1,211 USD
HIGH
2,204,280 CRC
4,239 USD
A person working in Costa Rica typically earns around 629,720 CRC per month. Salaries range from 157,560 CRC (lowest average) to 2,204,280 CRC (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Costa Rica
Median and salary distribution monthly Costa Rica
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (554,320 CRC) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (629,720 CRC) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)3,778,320 CRC
- 2–5 Years (Junior)4,911,920 CRC
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)6,423,040 CRC
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)7,556,640 CRC
- 15+ Years (Senior)9,067,760 CRC
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School4,533,880 CRC
- Certificate5,289,440 CRC
- Associate6,045,520 CRC
- Bachelor's7,556,640 CRC
- Master's9,067,760 CRC
- PhD10,579,400 CRC
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Costa Rica
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Costa Rica earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Costa Rica
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
9%
Average Raise
12 months
Review Frequency
7%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Costa Rica are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 12 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Costa Rica is 7%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Costa Rica
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
43%
Received Bonus
57%
No Bonus
43% of surveyed staff in Costa Rica reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
6%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal10,201,360 CRC
- Aviation9,823,840 CRC
- Information Technology9,823,840 CRC
- Banking9,445,800 CRC
- Pharmaceuticals9,445,800 CRC
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 18,891,600 CRC | 1,574,560 CRC |
| Pilot | 15,113,280 CRC | 1,259,440 CRC |
| Software Developer | 13,602,160 CRC | 1,133,600 CRC |
| Data Scientist | 12,846,080 CRC | 1,070,680 CRC |
| Financial Manager | 12,090,520 CRC | 1,007,760 CRC |
| Database Administrator | 11,334,960 CRC | 944,840 CRC |
| Engineer | 10,579,400 CRC | 881,400 CRC |
| Marketing Manager | 9,823,840 CRC | 818,480 CRC |
| Project Manager | 9,445,800 CRC | 787,280 CRC |
| Accountant | 8,312,200 CRC | 692,640 CRC |
| Hotel Manager | 7,556,640 CRC | 629,720 CRC |
| Nurse | 6,801,080 CRC | 566,800 CRC |
| Graphic Designer | 6,423,040 CRC | 535,080 CRC |
| Chef | 5,667,480 CRC | 472,160 CRC |
| Teacher | 5,289,440 CRC | 440,960 CRC |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San José | 8,690,240 CRC |
| Alajuela | 7,934,680 CRC |
| Cartago | 7,934,680 CRC |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
598,000 CRC
Private Sector
661,440 CRC
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in Costa Rica earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Costa Rica
3,640 CRC
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Costa Rica is 3,640 CRC. This means that the average person in Costa Rica earns approximately 3,640 CRC for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Costa Rica
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
89,440 CRC
/month
Food
28,600 CRC
/month
Transport
10,920 CRC
/month
Utilities
14,560 CRC
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Costa Rica and explore top-paying jobs.