Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethune and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethune: $1,725 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Bethune
🇫🇷 France
$1,725
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,725 in Bethune versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Bethune $1,725
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,711 in Bethune versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Bethune $2,711
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,698 in Bethune versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Bethune $3,698
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Bethune costs roughly 6% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bethune 28% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.77 €15.81
$12.35 ₡5,539
43.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.5 €65.3
$61.2 ₡27.4K
20.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.27 €11.80
$7.52 ₡3,373
76.46%
Cappuccino
$3.16 €2.81
$4.41 ₡1,978
-28.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.43
$1.74 ₡780
56.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.49
$1.31 ₡587
27.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.72 €5.98
$3.28 ₡1,471
104.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 €5.07
$4.47 ₡2,004
27.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.15
$1.56 ₡701
-16.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.02 ₡1,355
-38.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 €2.62
$2.51 ₡1,125
17.53%
Eggs
$4.03 €3.59
$3.57 ₡1,603
12.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.13 €18.79
$7.43 ₡3,333
184.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.74 €11.33
$10.52 ₡4,717
21.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.00 €20.46
$13.97 ₡6,265
64.64%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 €2.71
$2.35 ₡1,052
29.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.61 ₡720
32.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 €2.13
$4.80 ₡2,152
-50.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.12 €2.78
$1.61 ₡724
93.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$3.80 ₡1,703
-52.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 €1.74
$3.69 ₡1,657
-46.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.13 ₡507
25.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$2.66 ₡1,191
-80.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.20 €12.63
$5.18 ₡2,321
174.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.85 €6.98
$19.88 ₡8,916
-60.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.63
$2.90 ₡1,300
-36.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.26
$3.63 ₡1,626
-30.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.12 ₡504
58.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.6 €44.98
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-30.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 €1.99
$2.14 ₡958
4.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 €1.92
$1.57 ₡703
37.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.70 €21.08
$8.52 ₡3,823
178.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.52 ₡682
34.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.1K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
56.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K €31.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
1.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 €156
$96.3 ₡43.2K
82.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.09 €13.42
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-57.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.91 €27.49
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-42.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.87 €31.01
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-51.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.76 €14.90
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-51.99%
Cinema Ticket
$10.15 €9.03
$7.89 ₡3,539
28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$619 €550
$494 ₡221.6K
25.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,158 €7,256
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-31.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.3 €77.7
$53.9 ₡24.2K
61.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.69 €34.41
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-30.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 €69.1
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-0.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.4 €86.7
$79.6 ₡35.7K
22.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$740 €658
$788 ₡353.4K
-6.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$599 €533
$794 ₡356.2K
-24.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,354 €1,204
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-65.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,101 €979
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-22.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,857 €3,431
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-44.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,266 €2,905
$1,224 ₡549.0K
166.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bethune
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,663 €3,258
$864 ₡387.3K
324.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.92
8.62
-54.52%

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

Last update for Bethune: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bethune
$599
Nosara
$794 32.5% $195
Groceries & Markets
Bethune
$360
Nosara
$352 2.2% $7.9
Eating Out
Bethune
$282
Nosara
$212 25% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bethune
$222
Nosara
$186 16.2% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Bethune
$135
Nosara
$120 11.4% $15
Getting Around
Bethune
$71
Nosara
$87 23.2% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Bethune
$55
Nosara
$87 58.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $740 in Bethune and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethune pays 324% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Bethune vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Bethune
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
16:38 4:38 PM
08:38 8:38 AM
8 h behind Bethune
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,992
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bethune Nosara 9,030 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bethune
  • 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
Bethune vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bethune or Nosara?
Bethune wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bethune the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bethune or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 324% higher in Bethune, 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 Bethune compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $740 in Bethune versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bethune and in Nosara?
Childcare runs $619 in Bethune versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bethune or in Nosara?
Shoppers in Nosara pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Bethune or in Nosara?
At $1,725 in Bethune versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bethune but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Bethune the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bethune or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bethune delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,725 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bethune hard to pass up.
How safe is Bethune compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Bethune 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 Bethune gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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