Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakkafjordur and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakkafjordur: $250 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Bakkafjordur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$250

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $250 per month in Bakkafjordur vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Bakkafjordur $250
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $427 per month in Bakkafjordur vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Bakkafjordur $427
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $604 per month in Bakkafjordur vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Bakkafjordur $604
Nosara $3,818

Bakkafjordur is about 86% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bakkafjordur sits 81% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

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

$1.74 ₡780

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 ISK 275

$3.02 ₡1,355

-25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ISK 263

$2.51 ₡1,125

-13.55%

Eggs

$4.88 ISK 591

$3.57 ₡1,603

36.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 ISK 1,081

$7.43 ₡3,333

19.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.17 ISK 1,355

$10.52 ₡4,717

6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 ISK 1,357

$13.97 ₡6,265

-19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 ISK 269

$2.35 ₡1,052

-5.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ISK 273

$1.61 ₡720

39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ISK 269

$4.80 ₡2,152

-53.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ISK 265

$1.61 ₡724

36.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 264

$3.80 ₡1,703

-42.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 ISK 272

$3.69 ₡1,657

-39.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ISK 124

$1.13 ₡507

-9.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ISK 238

$2.66 ₡1,191

-25.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,928 ISK 719.0K

$864 ₡387.3K

586.44%

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 Bakkafjordur: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Bakkafjordur

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 586% higher in Bakkafjordur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Bakkafjordur

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

22:03 10:03 PM

6 h behind Bakkafjordur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100

4,912

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 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).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bakkafjordur Nosara 8,140 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakkafjordur
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

Bakkafjordur vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 635% more than Bakkafjordur, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $375 per month in Bakkafjordur and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $250 in Bakkafjordur and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 635%.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Bakkafjordur, where all-in costs run around $250, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Bakkafjordur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakkafjordur costs $250 versus $1,839 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 Bakkafjordur. 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.