South Korea
Compared with Costa Rica, using real observed prices.
Baseline: 
Costa Rica = 1×
South Korea
vs
Costa Rica
Overall verdict
South Korea is about 0.75× Costa Rica.
Average across 3 categories, 7 items with data
The shape of prices (vs Costa Rica = 1×)
How to read this
The centre line is Costa Rica. A bar running right means South Korea is pricier; running left means cheaper. The thin bar behind shows the range from the cheapest to the priciest item in that category.
← Cheaper than Costa Rica
Costa Rica = 1×
South Korea is pricier →
Costa Rica
Costa Rica = 1×
South Korea is pricier →
Thin bar shows the range (cheapest to priciest item in the category)
In South Korea, Diesel 1L costs 0.9× what it does in Costa Rica — but Big Mac costs only 0.6×. What is expensive here is energy, not the goods that carry a world price.
Real prices. Real sources. Real dates.
-
Diesel 1L 1 L ×0.94South Korea
CRC 700.43
USD 1.415Costa Rica
CRC 745.96
USD 1.507
-
Gasoline 1L 1 L ×0.86South Korea
CRC 706.37
USD 1.427Costa Rica
CRC 825.66
USD 1.668
-
Electricity 1kWh (household) 1 kWh ×0.75South Korea
CRC 62.87
USD 0.127Costa Rica
CRC 84.15
USD 0.17
-
Big Mac 1 burger ×0.62South Korea
CRC 1,852
KRW 5,500Costa Rica
CRC 2,990
CRC 2,990
See what really changed
Big Mac, 2021 → 2026At the timeUsing the exchange rate of each date
+20%
in KRW
4600 → 5500
4600 → 5500
vs
At today's rateUsing today's exchange rate
-25%
in CRC
It rose 20% in local currency, but -25% in yours. Most of what you feel is the exchange rate, not South Korea's inflation.
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