Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bordeaux and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,062 in Bordeaux, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bordeaux
🇫🇷 France
$2,062
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,062 per month in Bordeaux vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bordeaux $2,062
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,225 per month in Bordeaux vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bordeaux $3,225
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,388 per month in Bordeaux vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bordeaux $4,388
  • Nosara $3,712

Bordeaux costs about 12% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bordeaux and Nosara sit above the global median – Bordeaux by 54%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.41 €18.21
$12.22 ₡5,509
67.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.7 €71.2
$60.2 ₡27.1K
32.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.30 €12.76
$7.54 ₡3,399
89.66%
Cappuccino
$4.01 €3.58
$4.31 ₡1,941
-6.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 €2.54
$1.72 ₡773
65.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.35 ₡608
0.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.96 €7.11
$3.24 ₡1,459
145.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.59 €5.88
$4.48 ₡2,018
47.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.09
$1.57 ₡707
-22.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.96 €1.75
$3.17 ₡1,429
-38.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 €2.70
$2.42 ₡1,091
25.21%
Eggs
$3.68 €3.28
$3.57 ₡1,609
3.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.64 €12.17
$7.43 ₡3,349
83.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.27 €14.52
$10.42 ₡4,697
56.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.80 €18.56
$13.66 ₡6,156
52.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 €2.94
$2.32 ₡1,044
41.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 €1.99
$1.61 ₡728
38.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.59 €3.21
$4.74 ₡2,138
-24.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 €3.96
$1.66 ₡747
166.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.28 €2.03
$3.72 ₡1,679
-38.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.93 €2.62
$3.57 ₡1,611
-17.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.10 ₡497
24.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$2.55 ₡1,149
-77.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.98 €11.58
$4.95 ₡2,232
162.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 €9.10
$20.01 ₡9,020
-49.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.99 €3.56
$2.79 ₡1,256
43.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.12 €3.67
$3.53 ₡1,589
16.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.07 €1.85
$1.19 ₡537
73.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.00 €42.84
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-33.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.24 ₡1,011
-0.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.83 €1.63
$1.55 ₡701
18.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.21 €34.10
$8.86 ₡3,993
331.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.57 ₡708
36.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K €30.9K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
58.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K €31.0K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
0.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$254 €227
$93.5 ₡42.1K
172.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.39 €13.74
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-56.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.66 €27.36
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-40.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.16 €29.59
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-53.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.91 €24.91
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-21.25%
Cinema Ticket
$11.79 €10.52
$7.84 ₡3,535
50.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$786 €701
$490 ₡220.7K
60.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.7K €12.2K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
15.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$118 €105
$53.5 ₡24.1K
120.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.62 €39.82
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-19.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €96.6
$79.3 ₡35.7K
36.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €129
$78.9 ₡35.6K
83.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$922 €823
$786 ₡354.3K
17.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$754 €673
$780 ₡351.6K
-3.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,750 €1,561
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-54.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,359 €1,213
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-3.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,921 €6,177
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-0.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,739 €4,229
$1,201 ₡541.3K
294.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bordeaux
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,129 €2,792
$876 ₡395.0K
257.05%
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 Bordeaux: 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
Bordeaux
$754
Nosara
$780 3.4% $26
Groceries & Markets
Bordeaux
$383
Nosara
$350 8.8% $34
Eating Out
Bordeaux
$324
Nosara
$209 35.4% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bordeaux
$301
Nosara
$180 40.1% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Bordeaux
$187
Nosara
$120 35.6% $67
Getting Around
Bordeaux
$68
Nosara
$87 28.3% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Bordeaux
$57
Nosara
$87 53.4% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $922 in Bordeaux versus $786 in Nosara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 257% higher in Bordeaux, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Bordeaux versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Bordeaux
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
07:09 7:09 AM
23:09 11:09 PM
8 h behind Bordeaux
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
261,804
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bordeaux Nosara 8,840 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bordeaux
  • 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
Bordeaux vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bordeaux or Nosara?
Bordeaux costs about 12% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bordeaux and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,092 per month in Bordeaux and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bordeaux or Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Bordeaux compared to Nosara?
Public transport costs about 50% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Bordeaux and in Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $786 per month in Bordeaux and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Bordeaux or in Nosara?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Bordeaux at $2,062. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bordeaux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bordeaux or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,837 versus $2,062 in Bordeaux. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bordeaux compared to 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.
Should I move to Bordeaux or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bordeaux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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