Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barra and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Barra: $105 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 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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Barra

🇬🇲 Gambia

$105

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $105 per month in Barra vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Barra $105
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $178 per month in Barra vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Barra $178
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $251 per month in Barra vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Barra $251
Nosara $3,712

Barra is about 94% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Barra sits 92% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 GMD 68.5

$3.17 ₡1,429

-70.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$2.50 GMD 182

$3.57 ₡1,609

-29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 GMD 507

$10.42 ₡4,697

-33.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 GMD 145

$1.61 ₡728

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 GMD 203

$4.74 ₡2,138

-41.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 GMD 150

$1.66 ₡747

24.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 GMD 81.2

$3.72 ₡1,679

-70.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 GMD 56.7

$3.57 ₡1,611

-78.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 GMD 32.67

$2.55 ₡1,149

-82.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 GMD 77.4

$2.79 ₡1,256

-62.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

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)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

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 Barra: 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

Barra

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Barra

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Barra

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barra

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Barra

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Barra

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Barra

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Good to know

🇬🇲 Barra

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

05:14 5:14 AM

23:14 11:14 PM

6 h behind Barra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,020

4,912

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.37 USD

100 GMD = 1.22 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 = 73 GMD (100 GMD = 1.37 USD). 1 EUR = 81.88 GMD (100 GMD = 1.22 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

Barra Nosara 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Barra
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

Barra vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1654%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $157 per month in Barra 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 $105 in Barra and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 1654%.

Groceries cost about 239% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barra, where all-in costs run around $105, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Barra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Barra. 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.