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Caro vs. costoso

Word practice demo
The Spanish words caro and costoso both mean expensive but are used in slightly different contexts and connotations.

Caro

A2
Caro is a common word used in everyday language to describe something that has a high price or cost. It is often used in casual or informal conversations.
Este coche es muy caro.
(This car is very expensive.)
Los zapatos en esa tienda son caros.
(The shoes in that store are expensive.)
La cena en el restaurante fue cara.
(The dinner at the restaurant was expensive.)

Costoso

B1
Costoso also means expensive, but it is often used to indicate that something involves not just a high monetary cost, but also a high cost in terms of effort, resources, or consequences. It can sound more formal than caro.
La construcción de la autopista fue un proyecto costoso.
(The highway construction was a costly project.)
Cometer errores en este trabajo puede ser muy costoso.
(Making mistakes in this job can be very costly.)
El tratamiento médico es bastante costoso.
(The medical treatment is quite costly.)

Summary

While caro and costoso can both be translated as expensive, caro is generally used in everyday, informal contexts, focusing on the price. In contrast, costoso implies a broader cost including effort or resources and tends to be more formal.