Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,406 in Castel, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Castel outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Castel

🇬🇬 Guernsey

$2,406

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,406 per month in Castel vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Castel $2,406
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,787 per month in Castel vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Castel $3,787
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,167 per month in Castel vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Castel $5,167
Nosara $3,712

Castel costs about 31% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Castel and Nosara sit above the global median – Castel by 80%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.85 GGP 30.16

$12.22 ₡5,509

226.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 GGP 60.9

$60.2 ₡27.1K

33.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$5.05 GGP 3.82

$4.31 ₡1,941

17.17%

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

$3.23 GGP 2.45

$1.72 ₡773

87.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 GGP 2.98

$1.35 ₡608

191.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 GGP 3.27

$3.24 ₡1,459

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 GGP 4.94

$4.48 ₡2,018

45.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 GGP 1.47

$1.57 ₡707

24.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 GGP 1.65

$1.57 ₡708

38.85%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$26.18 GGP 19.82

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-25.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 GGP 50.9

$51.5 ₡23.2K

30.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 GGP 1,503

$786 ₡354.3K

152.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 GGP 1,396

$780 ₡351.6K

136.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,012 GGP 3,037

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,740 GGP 2,831

$1,407 ₡634.4K

165.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Castel: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Castel

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Castel

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Castel

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Castel

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Castel

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Castel

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Castel

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Castel versus $786 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 $80.0 in Castel versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $19.00 in Castel vs $350 in Nosara – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇬 Castel

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

06:45 6:45 AM

23:45 11:45 PM

7 h behind Castel

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Guernsey Pound GGP £

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 GGP = 1.32 USD

1 GGP = 1.18 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to GGP – Guernsey Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇬 Guernsey Pound (£)

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 GGP (1 GGP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 GGP (1 GGP = 1.18 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to GGP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Castel Nosara 8,670 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Castel
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

Castel vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,609 per month in Castel and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1697% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Castel and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Castel at $2,406. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.