Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Binan City and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Binan City: $731 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Binan City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$731
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $731 per month in Binan City vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Binan City $731
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in Binan City vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Binan City $1,132
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Binan City vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Binan City $1,534
  • Nosara $3,818

Binan City is about 60% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Binan City sits 46% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.02 ₱253
$12.35 ₡5,539
-67.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.94 ₱1,067
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-72.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.78 ₱175
$7.52 ₡3,373
-63.03%
Cappuccino
$1.79 ₱113
$4.41 ₡1,978
-59.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₱35.53
$1.74 ₡780
-67.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₱19.24
$1.31 ₡587
-76.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 ₱61.8
$3.28 ₡1,471
-70.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₱98.9
$4.47 ₡2,004
-64.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 ₱102
$1.56 ₡701
3.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 ₱71.1
$3.02 ₡1,355
-62.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.04 ₱65.3
$2.51 ₡1,125
-58.57%
Eggs
$2.04 ₱128
$3.57 ₡1,603
-42.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.97 ₱313
$7.43 ₡3,333
-33.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.41 ₱214
$10.52 ₡4,717
-67.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.90 ₱434
$13.97 ₡6,265
-50.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 ₱152
$2.35 ₡1,052
2.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 ₱96.0
$1.61 ₡720
-5.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ₱147
$4.80 ₡2,152
-51.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.07 ₱67.1
$1.61 ₡724
-33.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 ₱109
$3.80 ₡1,703
-54.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 ₱111
$3.69 ₡1,657
-52.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.61 ₱38.30
$1.13 ₡507
-46.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₱36.15
$2.66 ₡1,191
-78.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₱163
$5.18 ₡2,321
-50.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.11 ₱511
$19.88 ₡8,916
-59.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₱59.9
$2.90 ₡1,300
-67.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 ₱126
$3.63 ₡1,626
-44.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₱17.72
$1.12 ₡504
-75.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.24 ₱771
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-83.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.67 ₱41.93
$2.14 ₡958
-68.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.21 ₱13.16
$1.57 ₡703
-86.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.93 ₱122
$8.52 ₡3,823
-77.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ₱78.2
$1.52 ₡682
-18.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₱1.4M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
0.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.1K ₱1.2M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-44.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$140 ₱8,795
$96.3 ₡43.2K
45.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.11 ₱1,014
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-55.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50 ₱1,983
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-41.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.01 ₱2,204
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-51.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.04 ₱317
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-85.56%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 ₱319
$7.89 ₡3,539
-35.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$135 ₱8,501
$494 ₡221.6K
-72.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,389 ₱465.2K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-37.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.73 ₱1,809
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-46.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.59 ₱1,233
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-64.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.2 ₱4,481
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-8.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.5 ₱3,555
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-29.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$268 ₱16.9K
$788 ₡353.4K
-65.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 ₱10.0K
$794 ₡356.2K
-79.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$583 ₱36.7K
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-85.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$396 ₱24.9K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-72.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,584 ₱162.7K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-62.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,026 ₱64.6K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-16.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Binan City
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
8.62
-21.69%

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

Last update for Binan City: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Binan City
$187
Nosara
$186 0.8% $1.5
Groceries & Markets
Binan City
$171
Nosara
$352 106% $181
Accommodation & Living
Binan City
$159
Nosara
$794 399% $635
Clothing & Footwear
Binan City
$79
Nosara
$120 51.7% $41
Eating Out
Binan City
$73
Nosara
$212 188% $138
Sport & Entertainment
Binan City
$45
Nosara
$87 93.6% $42
Getting Around
Binan City
$15
Nosara
$87 478% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Binan City versus $788 in Nosara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Binan City versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $352 – making Binan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Binan City
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:06 3:06 AM
13:06 1:06 PM
14 h behind Binan City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
407,037
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

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
  • Binan City Nosara 16,010 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Binan City
  • 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
Binan City vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Binan City?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 152%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,096 per month in Binan City and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Binan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Binan City and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Binan City and in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 106% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Binan City or in Nosara?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Binan City, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Binan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Binan City or Nosara more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Binan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Binan City or Nosara?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Binan City. 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.

Binan City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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