Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Besancon and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Besancon and in Nosara: $1,755 and $1,839 a month, rent and utilities included.

Besancon
🇫🇷 France
$1,755
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,755 in Besancon versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Besancon $1,755
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,536 in Besancon versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Besancon $2,536
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,318 in Besancon versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Besancon $3,318
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Besancon costs roughly 5% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Besancon 30% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.89
$12.35 ₡5,550
35.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.2 €49.19
$61.2 ₡27.5K
-9.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.94 €9.76
$7.52 ₡3,379
45.48%
Cappuccino
$3.03 €2.71
$4.41 ₡1,982
-31.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.74 ₡781
35.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.31 ₡588
18.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.58 €5.87
$3.28 ₡1,474
100.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 €4.96
$4.47 ₡2,008
24.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.56 ₡702
-17.95%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 €1.52
$3.02 ₡1,358
-43.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.51 ₡1,127
-14.74%
Eggs
$4.41 €3.94
$3.57 ₡1,606
23.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.97 €17.81
$7.43 ₡3,340
168.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.95 €9.77
$10.52 ₡4,727
4.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.96
$13.97 ₡6,277
28.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$2.35 ₡1,054
12.77%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.61 ₡721
40.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 €2.43
$4.80 ₡2,156
-43.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 €2.19
$1.61 ₡725
52.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.27
$3.80 ₡1,706
-33.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 €2.16
$3.69 ₡1,660
-34.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.13 ₡508
26.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.66 ₡1,193
-56.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.78 €12.29
$5.18 ₡2,326
166.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.39 €8.37
$19.88 ₡8,934
-52.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.85 €4.32
$2.90 ₡1,303
67.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.90
$3.63 ₡1,629
-10.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.12 ₡505
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.17 €39.40
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-39.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 €2.71
$2.14 ₡960
42.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.57 ₡705
35.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.05 €26.80
$8.52 ₡3,830
252.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.52 ₡683
40.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.7K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
59.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K €30.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-0.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €200
$96.3 ₡43.3K
133.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.65 €13.07
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-59.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.19 €30.50
$53.6 ₡24.1K
-36.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.44 €23.58
$71.6 ₡32.2K
-63.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.68 €17.55
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-43.63%
Cinema Ticket
$11.32 €10.10
$7.89 ₡3,546
43.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$339 €302
$494 ₡222.0K
-31.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,309 €6,520
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-38.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0 €88.3
$53.9 ₡24.2K
83.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.58 €34.41
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-30.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.0 €83.0
$77.9 ₡35.0K
19.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €110
$79.6 ₡35.8K
55.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$635 €566
$788 ₡354.1K
-19.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$590 €527
$794 ₡356.9K
-25.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$991 €884
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-74.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$803 €717
$1,419 ₡637.7K
-43.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,822 €2,517
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-59.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,245 €2,002
$1,224 ₡550.0K
83.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Besancon
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,181 €1,945
$864 ₡388.0K
152.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.62
8.62
-58.00%

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

Last update for Besancon: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Besancon
$590
Nosara
$794 34.6% $204
Groceries & Markets
Besancon
$356
Nosara
$352 1.1% $3.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
$273
Nosara
$186 32.1% $88
Eating Out
Besancon
$262
Nosara
$212 19.3% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
$159
Nosara
$120 24.7% $39
Getting Around
Besancon
$65
Nosara
$87 34.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
$49
Nosara
$87 78% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $635 in Besancon and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Besancon pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $55.0 in Besancon vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $352, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Besancon
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
01:34 1:34 AM
17:34 5:34 PM
8 h behind Besancon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
119,198
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Besancon Nosara 9,320 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Besancon
  • 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
Besancon vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Besancon or Nosara?
Besancon wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Besancon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Besancon or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 153% higher in Besancon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Besancon compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $635 in Besancon versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Besancon compared to Nosara?
A monthly transit pass in Besancon runs roughly 64% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Besancon and in Nosara?
Childcare runs $339 in Besancon versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Besancon or in Nosara?
At $1,755 in Besancon versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Besancon but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Besancon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Besancon or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Besancon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,755 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Besancon hard to pass up.
How safe is Besancon compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Besancon 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Besancon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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