Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,886 in Barrigada, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrigada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,886

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,886 in Barrigada versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Barrigada $2,886
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,657 in Barrigada versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Barrigada $3,657
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,428 in Barrigada versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Barrigada $4,428
Nosara $3,712

Living in Barrigada is roughly 57% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrigada 115% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$60.2 ₡27.1K

63.87%

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)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

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)

$6.89 $6.89

$4.95 ₡2,232

39.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

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)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.57 ₡708

-9.55%

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)

$414 $414

$93.5 ₡42.1K

342.48%

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

$98.9 $98.9

$35.11 ₡15.8K

181.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.6 $80.6

$51.5 ₡23.2K

56.54%

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)

$730 $730

$490 ₡220.7K

49.11%

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)

$2,463 $2,463

$786 ₡354.3K

213.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$780 ₡351.6K

187.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,340 $3,340

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,235 $3,235

$1,407 ₡634.4K

129.89%

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)

$4,895 $4,895

$876 ₡395.0K

458.61%

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 Barrigada: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Barrigada

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,463 in Barrigada and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 459% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $99.0 in Barrigada vs $60.0 in Nosara for two.

Good to know

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

15:15 3:15 PM

23:15 11:15 PM

16 h behind Barrigada

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,875

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Barrigada Nosara 13,860 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Barrigada
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

Barrigada vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 459% higher in Barrigada, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,463 in Barrigada versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $99.0 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $730 in Barrigada versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,886 in Barrigada, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barrigada 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.

Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.