Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Nosara Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Nosara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,683 in Cartago versus $1,852 in Nosara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,387 in Cartago versus $2,876 in Nosara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,090 in Cartago versus $3,900 in Nosara.

Living in Cartago costs roughly 9% less than in Nosara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartago 23% above, Nosara 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 ₡3,993

$12.10 ₡5,415

-26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.02 ₡16.1K

$58.8 ₡26.3K

-38.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 ₡4,416

$7.91 ₡3,539

24.78%

Cappuccino

$4.49 ₡2,009

$4.45 ₡1,993

0.90%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₡980

$1.76 ₡788

24.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₡645

$1.31 ₡588

9.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ₡991

$3.28 ₡1,470

-32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₡1,868

$4.56 ₡2,040

-8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 ₡1,102

$1.59 ₡710

54.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 ₡1,083

$3.07 ₡1,372

-21.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 ₡1,149

Eggs

$3.46 ₡1,550

$3.59 ₡1,608

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 ₡3,947

$7.29 ₡3,263

20.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.39 ₡4,649

$10.77 ₡4,819

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 ₡6,369

$14.15 ₡6,331

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,348

$2.29 ₡1,024

129.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₡612

$1.64 ₡733

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,956

$4.90 ₡2,193

-10.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,383

$1.70 ₡761

81.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 ₡981

$3.89 ₡1,742

-43.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₡987

$3.74 ₡1,675

-41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡489

$1.09 ₡488

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₡1,023

$2.58 ₡1,156

-11.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.17 ₡2,762

$5.09 ₡2,279

21.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 ₡6,909

$20.39 ₡9,123

-24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,315

$2.79 ₡1,251

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₡905

$3.59 ₡1,605

-43.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.45 ₡648

-9.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 ₡33.3K

$76.3 ₡34.1K

-2.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₡614

$2.18 ₡976

-37.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡739

$1.60 ₡715

3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₡4,003

$9.07 ₡4,059

-1.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡695

$1.54 ₡687

0.65%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.0K ₡9.8M

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-1.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.4K ₡15.4M

$35.7K ₡16.0M

-3.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$54.5 ₡24.4K

$95.8 ₡42.9K

-43.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$36.55 ₡16.4K

$36.42 ₡16.3K

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 ₡27.5K

$52.9 ₡23.7K

16.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 ₡33.5K

$74.3 ₡33.2K

0.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$78.7 ₡35.2K

$35.79 ₡16.0K

119.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ₡3,145

$8.16 ₡3,652

-13.85%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$547 ₡244.9K

$504 ₡225.6K

8.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,044 ₡3.6M

$11.7K ₡5.2M

-31.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 ₡32.2K

$55.5 ₡24.9K

29.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 ₡25.1K

$57.4 ₡25.7K

-2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ₡54.0K

$79.1 ₡35.4K

52.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 ₡39.8K

$81.0 ₡36.2K

9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₡411.5K

$809 ₡361.9K

13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 ₡296.6K

$787 ₡352.2K

-15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 ₡841.4K

$3,953 ₡1.8M

-52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ₡319.4K

$1,403 ₡627.8K

-49.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,131 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,245 ₡556.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 ₡596.3K

$896 ₡400.8K

48.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for Cartago: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nosara: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Cartago and $809 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cartago vs $59.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $355 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

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

Cartago vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Cartago, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $920 in Cartago versus $809 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 2% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $547 in Cartago versus $504 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,683 in Cartago versus $1,852 in Nosara, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago 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.

Expats usually find Cartago 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.