Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Andover and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,503 in Andover, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Andover outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Andover
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,503
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Andover and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Andover and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,503 in Andover versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Andover $2,503
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,471 in Andover versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Andover $3,471
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,440 in Andover versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Andover $4,440
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Andover is roughly 36% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Andover 85% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.71 £9.53
$12.35 ₡5,539
2.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.44 £29.59
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-35.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.45 £7.84
$7.52 ₡3,373
38.96%
Cappuccino
$4.53 £3.40
$4.41 ₡1,978
2.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 £1.44
$1.74 ₡780
10.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 £1.11
$1.31 ₡587
12.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.37 £3.28
$3.28 ₡1,471
33.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 £4.28
$4.47 ₡2,004
27.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 £1.28
$1.56 ₡701
8.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.58 £1.19
$3.02 ₡1,355
-47.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.89 £1.42
$2.51 ₡1,125
-24.70%
Eggs
$4.27 £3.21
$3.57 ₡1,603
19.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.96 £8.97
$7.43 ₡3,333
60.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.55 £6.41
$10.52 ₡4,717
-18.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.81 £11.11
$13.97 ₡6,265
6.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.45 £2.59
$2.35 ₡1,052
46.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 £1.28
$1.61 ₡720
5.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.60 £1.95
$4.80 ₡2,152
-45.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 £2.31
$1.61 ₡724
91.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 £1.31
$3.80 ₡1,703
-53.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 £0.94
$3.69 ₡1,657
-66.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 £0.91
$1.13 ₡507
7.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 £1.24
$2.66 ₡1,191
-37.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$21.98 £16.49
$5.18 ₡2,321
324.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.07 £8.30
$19.88 ₡8,916
-44.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 £2.01
$2.90 ₡1,300
-7.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 £1.38
$3.63 ₡1,626
-49.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Andover
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.27 £2.45
$1.12 ₡504
191.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.60 £35.71
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-34.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.87 £3.66
$2.14 ₡958
127.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.22 £2.42
$1.57 ₡703
105.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.91 £31.44
$8.52 ₡3,823
391.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 £1.57
$1.52 ₡682
37.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K £26.7K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
64.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
18.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$341 £256
$96.3 ₡43.2K
254.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.90 £13.43
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-50.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.97 £32.98
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-17.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.41 £32.56
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-39.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.27 £6.95
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-73.45%
Cinema Ticket
$14.37 £10.78
$7.89 ₡3,539
82.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,264 £1,698
$494 ₡221.6K
358.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K £11.3K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
27.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.7 £64.3
$53.9 ₡24.2K
58.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.03 £35.29
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-15.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.0 £68.3
$77.9 ₡34.9K
16.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.4 £46.83
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-21.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Andover
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,385 £1,039
$788 ₡353.4K
75.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 £958
$794 ₡356.2K
60.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,912 £1,435
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-51.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 £1,530
$1,419 ₡636.5K
43.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Andover
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,943 £2,208
$864 ₡387.3K
240.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.25
8.62
-50.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Andover: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Andover
$1.3K
Nosara
$794 37.8% $483
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Andover
$403
Nosara
$186 53.9% $218
Groceries & Markets
Andover
$305
Nosara
$352 15.3% $47
Eating Out
Andover
$234
Nosara
$212 9.6% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Andover
$129
Nosara
$120 6.8% $8.7
Getting Around
Andover
$82
Nosara
$87 6.7% $5.5
Sport & Entertainment
Andover
$72
Nosara
$87 21.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,385 in Andover and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Andover pays 241% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Andover vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $352 per month, with Andover cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Andover
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
13:26 1:26 PM
06:26 6:26 AM
7 h behind Andover
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,851
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Andover Nosara 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Andover
  • Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Andover vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Andover and in Nosara?
Andover and Nosara differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,503 vs $1,839 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Andover or Nosara?
Average pay runs 241% higher in Andover, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Andover and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,385 in Andover versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Andover or Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $2,503 per month in Andover versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Andover and in Nosara?
A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 53% less than in Andover. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,503 in Andover, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Andover. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Andover and Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Andover or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Andover and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Andover or Nosara?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Andover. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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