Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakau and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $322 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$322

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakau 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 Bakau and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $322 per month in Bakau vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Bakau $322
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $724 per month in Bakau vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Bakau $724
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,125 per month in Bakau vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Bakau $1,125
Nosara $3,712

Bakau is about 82% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bakau sits 76% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 GMD 390

$12.22 ₡5,509

-55.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 GMD 5,461

$60.2 ₡27.1K

26.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 GMD 575

$7.54 ₡3,399

5.97%

Cappuccino

$3.87 GMD 278

$4.31 ₡1,941

-10.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 GMD 163

$1.72 ₡773

31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 GMD 82.3

$1.35 ₡608

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 GMD 260

$3.24 ₡1,459

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 GMD 254

$4.48 ₡2,018

-21.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 GMD 180

$1.57 ₡707

59.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$5.36 GMD 386

$3.57 ₡1,609

50.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.13 GMD 1,161

$10.42 ₡4,697

54.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 GMD 966

$20.01 ₡9,020

-32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 GMD 144

$2.79 ₡1,256

-27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 GMD 197

$3.53 ₡1,589

-22.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.8K ₡9.8M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.6K ₡15.6M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$93.5 ₡42.1K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.8 GMD 4,880

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-95.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Bakau: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bakau

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Bakau

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Bakau

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakau

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Bakau

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Bakau

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Bakau

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Bakau versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Bakau vs $350 in Nosara – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇲 Bakau

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

06:22 6:22 AM

00:22 12:22 AM

6 h behind Bakau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,098

4,912

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.39 USD

100 GMD = 1.24 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to GMD – Gambian Dalasi Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇲 Gambian Dalasi (D)

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 72 GMD (100 GMD = 1.39 USD). 1 EUR = 80.75 GMD (100 GMD = 1.24 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to GMD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bakau Nosara 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakau
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

Bakau vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 471% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $483 per month in Bakau and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $322 in Bakau and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 471%.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakau, where all-in costs run around $322, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Bakau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakau costs $322 versus $1,837 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bakau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.