Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Daule and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Daule: $855 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Daule
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$855
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Daule versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Daule $855
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Daule versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Daule $1,415
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,976 in Daule versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Daule $1,976
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Daule costs roughly 54% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Daule is 37% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.90 $5.90
$12.35 ₡5,539
-52.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.4 $54.4
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-11.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 $7.52
$7.52 ₡3,373
-
Cappuccino
$3.43 $3.43
$4.41 ₡1,978
-22.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.74 ₡780
-20.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.31 ₡587
-12.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 $3.41
$3.28 ₡1,471
3.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.02 $6.02
$4.47 ₡2,004
34.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.56 ₡701
-26.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 $1.60
$3.02 ₡1,355
-47.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.51 ₡1,125
-39.44%
Eggs
$2.09 $2.09
$3.57 ₡1,603
-41.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.30 $6.30
$7.43 ₡3,333
-15.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.46 $5.46
$10.52 ₡4,717
-48.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.50 $7.50
$13.97 ₡6,265
-46.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.33 $2.33
$2.35 ₡1,052
-0.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.61 ₡720
-26.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.32 $1.32
$4.80 ₡2,152
-72.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.61 ₡724
-32.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.25 $1.25
$3.80 ₡1,703
-67.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$3.69 ₡1,657
-72.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.13 ₡507
-19.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$2.66 ₡1,191
-61.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.92 $5.92
$5.18 ₡2,321
14.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 $10.19
$19.88 ₡8,916
-48.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 $1.51
$2.90 ₡1,300
-47.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 $3.19
$3.63 ₡1,626
-12.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Daule
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 $0.38
$1.12 ₡504
-66.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.38 $16.38
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-77.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.14 ₡958
-28.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.57 ₡703
-3.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.02 $10.02
$8.52 ₡3,823
17.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.52 ₡682
-43.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K $20.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-3.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-19.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.96 $28.96
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-69.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.12 $18.12
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-49.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.72 $28.72
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-46.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.86 $25.86
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-63.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.36 $17.36
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-50.27%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 $6.26
$7.89 ₡3,539
-20.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$231 $231
$494 ₡221.6K
-53.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,779 $8,779
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-25.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.5 $70.5
$53.9 ₡24.2K
30.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.15 $49.15
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-11.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 $118
$77.9 ₡34.9K
51.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 $109
$79.6 ₡35.7K
36.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Daule
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$269 $269
$788 ₡353.4K
-65.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$211 $211
$794 ₡356.2K
-73.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$668 $668
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-83.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 $381
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-73.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,216 $1,216
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-82.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$755 $755
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-38.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Daule
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
8.62
17.40%

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

Last update for Daule: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Daule
$211
Nosara
$794 276% $583
Groceries & Markets
Daule
$196
Nosara
$352 79.7% $156
Clothing & Footwear
Daule
$156
Nosara
$120 23% $36
Eating Out
Daule
$150
Nosara
$212 41.1% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Daule
$76
Nosara
$186 145% $110
Sport & Entertainment
Daule
$38
Nosara
$87 128% $49
Getting Around
Daule
$27
Nosara
$87 222% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Daule and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Daule vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $352 per month, with Daule cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Daule
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
16:32 4:32 PM
15:32 3:32 PM
1 h behind Daule
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
173,684
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 = 0.89 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
  • Daule Nosara 1,460 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Daule
  • 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
Daule vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Daule?
Daule is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,282 in Daule and $2,758 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Daule and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Daule versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Daule or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Daule – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Daule and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Daule versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Daule or in Nosara?
At $855 in Daule versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Daule but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Daule the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Daule or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Daule 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.
Which city is safer, Daule or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Daule 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Daule gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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