Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cantù and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Cantù: $1,674 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cantù
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,674
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Cantù versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Cantù $1,674
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,639 in Cantù versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Cantù $2,639
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,605 in Cantù versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Cantù $3,605
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Cantù costs roughly 9% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cantù 24% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.36 €19.89
$12.35 ₡5,539
81.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6 €79.7
$61.2 ₡27.4K
46.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.96 €9.75
$7.52 ₡3,373
45.74%
Cappuccino
$1.78 €1.58
$4.41 ₡1,978
-59.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 €2.58
$1.74 ₡780
66.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.31 ₡587
24.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.28 ₡1,471
75.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.16 €5.48
$4.47 ₡2,004
37.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.56 ₡701
-12.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 €2.03
$3.02 ₡1,355
-24.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.51 ₡1,125
35.46%
Eggs
$4.18 €3.72
$3.57 ₡1,603
17.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.92 €13.27
$7.43 ₡3,333
100.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.81 €11.39
$10.52 ₡4,717
21.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.69 €15.74
$13.97 ₡6,265
26.63%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 €2.50
$2.35 ₡1,052
19.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 €1.42
$1.61 ₡720
-0.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.08 €2.74
$4.80 ₡2,152
-35.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.61 ₡724
40.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.80 ₡1,703
-51.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 €1.56
$3.69 ₡1,657
-52.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.13 ₡507
50.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 €0.54
$2.66 ₡1,191
-77.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.62 €5.89
$5.18 ₡2,321
27.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.68 €5.05
$19.88 ₡8,916
-71.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 €0.82
$2.90 ₡1,300
-67.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.49
$3.63 ₡1,626
-53.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.12 ₡504
43.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.33 €34.98
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-45.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 €4.85
$2.14 ₡958
154.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 €1.97
$1.57 ₡703
41.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.55 €34.29
$8.52 ₡3,823
352.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.52 ₡682
34.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K €32.3K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
68.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K €30.5K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-0.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 €171
$96.3 ₡43.2K
99.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.91 €11.49
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-64.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.52 €24.48
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-48.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.5 €47.59
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-25.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.72 €21.10
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-32.05%
Cinema Ticket
$11.24 €10.00
$7.89 ₡3,539
42.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$721 €641
$494 ₡221.6K
45.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,148 €6,358
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-39.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.9 €78.2
$53.9 ₡24.2K
62.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.32 €39.42
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-20.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €95.7
$77.9 ₡34.9K
38.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €114
$79.6 ₡35.7K
61.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$771 €686
$788 ₡353.4K
-2.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$527 €469
$794 ₡356.2K
-33.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,137 €1,012
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-71.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$884 €787
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-37.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,313 €2,947
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-52.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,168 €1,929
$1,224 ₡549.0K
77.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cantù
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,815 €2,504
$864 ₡387.3K
225.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.65
8.62
-57.66%

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

Last update for Cantù: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cantù
$527
Nosara
$794 50.8% $268
Groceries & Markets
Cantù
$318
Nosara
$352 10.6% $34
Eating Out
Cantù
$292
Nosara
$212 27.5% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cantù
$232
Nosara
$186 20% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Cantù
$166
Nosara
$120 27.5% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Cantù
$76
Nosara
$87 15% $11
Getting Around
Cantù
$62
Nosara
$87 39.8% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $771 in Cantù and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cantù pays 226% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Cantù vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $352, with Cantù cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Cantù
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
11:10 11:10 AM
03:10 3:10 AM
8 h behind Cantù
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
35,153
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Cantù Nosara 9,580 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cantù
  • 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
Cantù vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cantù and in Nosara?
Cantù and Nosara differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,674 vs $1,839 including rent). Cantù is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Cantù or Nosara?
Average pay runs 226% higher in Cantù, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Cantù and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $771 in Cantù versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Cantù and Nosara?
Childcare runs $721 in Cantù versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,674 in Cantù versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cantù but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Cantù the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cantù and Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Cantù or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cantù 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.
Where should expats move: Cantù or Nosara?
Expats usually find Cantù gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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