Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coamo and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Coamo: $1,704 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Coamo
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,704
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,704 in Coamo versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Coamo $1,704
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,673 in Coamo versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Coamo $2,673
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,643 in Coamo versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Coamo $3,643
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Coamo costs roughly 7% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coamo 26% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.88 $16.88
$12.35 ₡5,539
36.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.8 $81.8
$61.2 ₡27.4K
33.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.78 $8.78
$7.52 ₡3,373
16.76%
Cappuccino
$3.68 $3.68
$4.41 ₡1,978
-16.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 $1.89
$1.74 ₡780
8.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.31 ₡587
11.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 $2.97
$3.28 ₡1,471
-9.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 $5.12
$4.47 ₡2,004
14.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.56 ₡701
35.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.03 $2.03
$3.02 ₡1,355
-32.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.51 ₡1,125
-60.96%
Eggs
$4.92 $4.92
$3.57 ₡1,603
37.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.49 $12.49
$7.43 ₡3,333
68.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 $9.53
$10.52 ₡4,717
-9.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.42 $13.42
$13.97 ₡6,265
-3.94%
Apples (1kg)
$5.09 $5.09
$2.35 ₡1,052
116.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.53 $2.53
$1.61 ₡720
57.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.84 $4.84
$4.80 ₡2,152
0.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.85 $4.85
$1.61 ₡724
201.24%
Potato (1kg)
$3.69 $3.69
$3.80 ₡1,703
-2.89%
Onion (1kg)
$3.85 $3.85
$3.69 ₡1,657
4.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.96 $2.96
$1.13 ₡507
161.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 $1.63
$2.66 ₡1,191
-38.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.87 $11.87
$5.18 ₡2,321
129.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.43 $15.43
$19.88 ₡8,916
-22.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 $1.45
$2.90 ₡1,300
-50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$3.63 ₡1,626
-43.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.45 $2.45
$2.14 ₡958
14.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.57 ₡703
-3.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.84 $41.84
$8.52 ₡3,823
391.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.52 ₡682
-34.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.9K $39.9K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
84.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K $28.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-18.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$325 $325
$96.3 ₡43.2K
237.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$67.8 $67.8
$35.89 ₡16.1K
89.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.3 $70.3
$53.6 ₡24.0K
31.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 $7.12
$7.89 ₡3,539
-9.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$822 $822
$494 ₡221.6K
66.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K $12.5K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
5.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 $56.2
$53.9 ₡24.2K
4.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.5 $61.5
$55.4 ₡24.8K
10.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$77.9 ₡34.9K
41.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$79.6 ₡35.7K
41.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$638 $638
$788 ₡353.4K
-19.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$452 $452
$794 ₡356.2K
-43.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,470 $1,470
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-62.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$954 $954
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-32.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coamo
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,771 $2,771
$864 ₡387.3K
220.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
8.62
-24.01%

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

Last update for Coamo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coamo
$464
Nosara
$186 59.9% $278
Accommodation & Living
Coamo
$452
Nosara
$794 75.9% $343
Groceries & Markets
Coamo
$367
Nosara
$352 4.1% $15
Eating Out
Coamo
$244
Nosara
$212 13.2% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Coamo
$153
Nosara
$120 21.6% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Coamo
$14 *
Nosara
$87 513% $73
Getting Around
Coamo
$10 *
Nosara
$87 770% $77

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $638 in Coamo and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coamo pays 221% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $82.0 in Coamo vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇷 Coamo
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
13:56 1:56 PM
11:56 11:56 AM
2 h behind Coamo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
40,000
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 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
  • Coamo Nosara 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Coamo
  • 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
Coamo vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Coamo and in Nosara?
Coamo and Nosara differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,704 vs $1,839 including rent). Coamo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Coamo or Nosara?
Average pay runs 221% higher in Coamo, 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 Coamo and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $638 in Coamo 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 Coamo and Nosara?
Childcare runs $822 in Coamo 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 restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Coamo – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,704 in Coamo versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Coamo but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Coamo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Coamo 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 Coamo or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Coamo 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: Coamo or Nosara?
Expats usually find Coamo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Coamo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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