Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caleta de Fuste and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Caleta de Fuste: $1,526 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Caleta de Fuste
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,526
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Caleta de Fuste vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Caleta de Fuste $1,526
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $2,311 per month in Caleta de Fuste vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Caleta de Fuste $2,311
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $3,097 per month in Caleta de Fuste vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Caleta de Fuste $3,097
  • Nosara $3,814

Caleta de Fuste is about 17% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Caleta de Fuste and Nosara sit above the global median – Caleta de Fuste by 13%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.56 €12.06
$12.34 ₡5,535
9.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.2 €66.0
$61.3 ₡27.5K
20.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 €9.62
$7.76 ₡3,481
39.30%
Cappuccino
$2.47 €2.20
$4.44 ₡1,992
-44.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.79 ₡803
22.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.29 ₡580
28.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 €2.80
$3.24 ₡1,451
-2.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 €3.27
$4.43 ₡1,985
-16.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.55 ₡696
-27.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.08 ₡1,380
-53.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.41
$2.53 ₡1,133
-37.15%
Eggs
$3.72 €3.31
$3.45 ₡1,546
7.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.95 €10.63
$7.32 ₡3,284
63.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.70 €8.63
$10.24 ₡4,594
-5.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.17 €16.16
$14.10 ₡6,326
28.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.52 €2.24
$2.29 ₡1,027
10.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$1.64 ₡737
25.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 €2.05
$4.79 ₡2,149
-51.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.64 ₡735
5.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 €1.63
$3.85 ₡1,727
-52.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 €2.06
$3.75 ₡1,681
-38.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.95 €1.73
$1.09 ₡488
78.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.78
$2.59 ₡1,160
-66.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 €4.01
$5.12 ₡2,295
-11.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.82 €6.06
$19.92 ₡8,931
-65.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.23
$2.80 ₡1,255
-50.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.31
$3.52 ₡1,580
-26.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 €1.49
$1.22 ₡549
37.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.36 €31.45
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-52.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.38 €3.01
$2.17 ₡973
55.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 €2.01
$1.56 ₡698
44.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.72 €24.65
$8.67 ₡3,886
219.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.62 €1.44
$1.55 ₡697
4.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K €27.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-9.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K €28.6K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-17.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 €99.9
$94.8 ₡42.5K
18.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.89 €17.69
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-44.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.02 €24.92
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-47.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.29 €34.95
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-46.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.86 €12.33
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-61.10%
Cinema Ticket
$9.08 €8.07
$7.91 ₡3,548
14.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$468 €416
$490 ₡219.9K
-4.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,510 €5,791
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-45.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.9 €77.3
$54.8 ₡24.6K
58.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.01 €33.81
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-31.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 €82.5
$80.4 ₡36.0K
15.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €107
$77.9 ₡34.9K
54.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$943 €839
$801 ₡359.1K
17.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$607 €540
$790 ₡354.1K
-23.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,386 €1,233
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-65.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$870 €774
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-38.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,355 €2,985
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-52.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,242 €1,994
$1,236 ₡554.3K
81.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Caleta de Fuste
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.15
8.62
-63.46%

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

Last update for Caleta de Fuste: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Caleta de Fuste
$607
Nosara
$790 30.1% $183
Groceries & Markets
Caleta de Fuste
$283
Nosara
$350 23.6% $67
Eating Out
Caleta de Fuste
$209
Nosara
$213 1.7% $3.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caleta de Fuste
$160
Nosara
$184 14.9% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Caleta de Fuste
$152
Nosara
$121 20.5% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Caleta de Fuste
$57
Nosara
$90 56% $32
Getting Around
Caleta de Fuste
$57
Nosara
$89 56.5% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in Caleta de Fuste versus $801 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 $74.0 in Caleta de Fuste versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Caleta de Fuste vs $350 in Nosara – so Caleta de Fuste wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Caleta de Fuste
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:29 3:29 AM
20:29 8:29 PM
7 h behind Caleta de Fuste
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,000
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 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
  • Caleta de Fuste Nosara 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Caleta de Fuste
  • 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
Caleta de Fuste vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Caleta de Fuste?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 20%, 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 $2,288 per month in Caleta de Fuste and $2,753 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 Caleta de Fuste, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 109% less in Caleta de Fuste. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Caleta de Fuste and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Caleta de Fuste or in Nosara?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Caleta de Fuste, where all-in costs run around $1,526, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Caleta de Fuste it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Caleta de Fuste or Nosara more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Caleta de Fuste – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Caleta de Fuste 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 Caleta de Fuste. 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.

Caleta de Fuste vs other spots: cost of living compared

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