Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bryan, TX and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,589 in Bryan, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bryan, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,589
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,589 in Bryan, TX versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Bryan, TX $2,589
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,776 in Bryan, TX versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Bryan, TX $3,776
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,964 in Bryan, TX versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Bryan, TX $4,964
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Bryan, TX is roughly 41% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bryan, TX 92% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.02 $19.02
$12.35 ₡5,556
54.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.3 $75.3
$61.2 ₡27.5K
23.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 $10.79
$7.52 ₡3,383
43.48%
Cappuccino
$5.15 $5.15
$4.41 ₡1,984
16.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.74 ₡782
41.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.31 ₡589
49.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.03 $6.03
$3.28 ₡1,475
83.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.16 $7.16
$4.47 ₡2,010
60.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.56 ₡703
-33.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.54 $3.54
$3.02 ₡1,359
17.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$2.51 ₡1,129
68.13%
Eggs
$4.11 $4.11
$3.57 ₡1,608
15.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.35 $12.35
$7.43 ₡3,344
66.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.47 $11.47
$10.52 ₡4,732
9.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.42 $15.42
$13.97 ₡6,284
10.38%
Apples (1kg)
$5.03 $5.03
$2.35 ₡1,055
114.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.61 ₡722
-
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$4.80 ₡2,159
-12.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 $4.81
$1.61 ₡726
198.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.88 $2.88
$3.80 ₡1,708
-24.21%
Onion (1kg)
$2.87 $2.87
$3.69 ₡1,662
-22.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 $2.07
$1.13 ₡508
83.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$2.66 ₡1,195
-18.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.64 $9.64
$5.18 ₡2,328
86.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.88 $13.88
$19.88 ₡8,944
-30.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.90 ₡1,304
-37.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 $3.39
$3.63 ₡1,631
-6.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.12 ₡506
75.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 $3.43
$2.14 ₡961
60.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.57 ₡706
5.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.13 $29.13
$8.52 ₡3,835
241.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.52 ₡684
-41.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K $29.9K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
38.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-25.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$96.3 ₡43.3K
95.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.6 $53.6
$35.89 ₡16.1K
49.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 $68.3
$53.6 ₡24.1K
27.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.62 $42.62
$71.6 ₡32.2K
-40.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.61 $13.61
$7.89 ₡3,550
72.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,312 $1,312
$494 ₡222.3K
165.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.7K $23.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
100.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 $50.7
$53.9 ₡24.3K
-6.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.61 $40.61
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-26.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 $86.8
$77.9 ₡35.1K
11.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$79.6 ₡35.8K
38.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,586 $1,586
$788 ₡354.5K
101.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,363 $1,363
$794 ₡357.3K
71.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,594 $2,594
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-34.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,240 $2,240
$1,419 ₡638.4K
57.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,787 $2,787
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-59.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,429 $2,429
$1,224 ₡550.7K
98.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bryan, TX
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡388.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
8.62
-24.48%

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

Last update for Bryan, TX: 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
Bryan, TX
$1.4K
Nosara
$794 41.7% $569
Groceries & Markets
Bryan, TX
$388
Nosara
$352 9.1% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bryan, TX
$311
Nosara
$186 40.2% $125
Eating Out
Bryan, TX
$309
Nosara
$212 31.3% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Bryan, TX
$130
Nosara
$120 7.4% $9.5
Sport & Entertainment
Bryan, TX
$70
Nosara
$87 25.1% $18
Getting Around
Bryan, TX
$20 *
Nosara
$87 346% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,586 in Bryan, TX and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Bryan, TX vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Bryan, TX
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
08:51 8:51 AM
07:51 7:51 AM
1 h behind Bryan, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
83,980
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bryan, TX Nosara 2,550 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bryan, TX
  • 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
Bryan, TX vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Bryan, TX?
Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,883 in Bryan, TX and $2,758 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Bryan, TX and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,586 in Bryan, TX versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,312 in Bryan, TX versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Bryan, TX or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $75.0 in Bryan, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Bryan, TX or in Nosara?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,589 in Bryan, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Bryan, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bryan, TX or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bryan, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Bryan, TX or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Bryan, TX 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bryan, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bryan, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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