Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bundaberg and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,083 in Bundaberg, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bundaberg
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,083
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Bundaberg vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bundaberg $2,083
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,117 per month in Bundaberg vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bundaberg $3,117
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,151 per month in Bundaberg vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bundaberg $4,151
  • Nosara $3,818

Bundaberg costs about 13% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Bundaberg and Nosara sit above the global median – Bundaberg by 54%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.20 A$21.87
$12.35 ₡5,539
23.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 A$98.2
$61.2 ₡27.4K
11.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.58 A$15.22
$7.52 ₡3,373
40.69%
Cappuccino
$3.81 A$5.48
$4.41 ₡1,978
-13.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 A$3.19
$1.74 ₡780
27.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 A$3.30
$1.31 ₡587
74.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.61 A$10.96
$3.28 ₡1,471
132.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.08 A$11.62
$4.47 ₡2,004
80.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 A$2.93
$1.56 ₡701
30.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 A$3.51
$3.02 ₡1,355
-19.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.16 A$4.55
$2.51 ₡1,125
25.90%
Eggs
$4.56 A$6.56
$3.57 ₡1,603
27.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.08 A$14.51
$7.43 ₡3,333
35.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.68 A$13.93
$10.52 ₡4,717
-7.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.30 A$32.08
$13.97 ₡6,265
59.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.51 A$5.06
$2.35 ₡1,052
49.36%
Banana (1kg)
$2.61 A$3.76
$1.61 ₡720
62.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 A$4.08
$4.80 ₡2,152
-40.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.26 A$6.12
$1.61 ₡724
164.60%
Potato (1kg)
$3.22 A$4.63
$3.80 ₡1,703
-15.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.43 A$3.50
$3.69 ₡1,657
-34.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 A$2.95
$1.13 ₡507
81.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 A$3.70
$2.66 ₡1,191
-3.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.58 A$44.01
$5.18 ₡2,321
490.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.69 A$18.26
$19.88 ₡8,916
-36.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$7.62 A$10.96
$2.90 ₡1,300
162.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 A$7.44
$3.63 ₡1,626
42.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.71 A$3.89
$1.12 ₡504
141.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.7 A$87.3
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-16.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 A$4.51
$2.14 ₡958
46.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 A$2.45
$1.57 ₡703
8.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.64 A$57.0
$8.52 ₡3,823
365.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 A$1.83
$1.52 ₡682
-16.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K A$39.4K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
26.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K A$42.9K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-13.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$140 A$201
$96.3 ₡43.2K
45.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.31 A$39.29
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-23.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.5 A$82.7
$53.6 ₡24.0K
7.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.5 A$81.4
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-21.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.66 A$25.41
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-49.41%
Cinema Ticket
$12.71 A$18.28
$7.89 ₡3,539
61.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,174 A$3,128
$494 ₡221.6K
339.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.2K A$29.1K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
70.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107 A$154
$53.9 ₡24.2K
99.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.9 A$105
$55.4 ₡24.8K
31.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$146 A$210
$77.9 ₡34.9K
87.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 A$227
$79.6 ₡35.7K
97.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$861 A$1,240
$788 ₡353.4K
9.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 A$1,137
$794 ₡356.2K
-0.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,638 A$2,357
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-58.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,254 A$1,805
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-11.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,701 A$8,203
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-17.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,490 A$7,899
$1,224 ₡549.0K
348.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bundaberg
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,833 A$4,076
$864 ₡387.3K
228.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
8.62
-30.39%

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

Last update for Bundaberg: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bundaberg
$790
Nosara
$794 0.5% $4.3
Groceries & Markets
Bundaberg
$414
Nosara
$352 15% $62
Eating Out
Bundaberg
$271
Nosara
$212 21.9% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bundaberg
$225
Nosara
$186 17.3% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Bundaberg
$218
Nosara
$120 44.8% $97
Getting Around
Bundaberg
$83
Nosara
$87 4.7% $4
Sport & Entertainment
Bundaberg
$82
Nosara
$87 6.6% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $861 in Bundaberg 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.

Salaries run about 228% higher in Bundaberg, 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 $68.0 in Bundaberg versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Bundaberg
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
05:38 5:38 AM
13:38 1:38 PM
16 h behind Bundaberg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
52,370
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 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
  • Bundaberg Nosara 13,690 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bundaberg
  • 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
Bundaberg vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bundaberg or Nosara?
Bundaberg costs about 13% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 Bundaberg and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,124 per month in Bundaberg and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bundaberg 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.
Are groceries more expensive in Bundaberg or in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Bundaberg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Bundaberg and in Nosara?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bundaberg and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Bundaberg or in Nosara?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Bundaberg at $2,083. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bundaberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bundaberg or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,839 versus $2,083 in Bundaberg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bundaberg 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 Bundaberg or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bundaberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Bundaberg vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?