Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between David and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $882 per month in David vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

David $882
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $946 per month in David vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

David $946
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,011 per month in David vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

David $1,011
Nosara $3,818

David is about 52% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

David sits 35% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 PAB 5.52

$12.35 ₡5,539

-55.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.03 PAB 37.03

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-39.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 PAB 7.27

$7.52 ₡3,373

-3.32%

Cappuccino

$3.13 PAB 3.13

$4.41 ₡1,978

-29.02%

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

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$1.74 ₡780

-15.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$1.31 ₡587

16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$3.28 ₡1,471

-39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$4.47 ₡2,004

-39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 PAB 1.73

$1.56 ₡701

10.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PAB 2.26

$3.02 ₡1,355

-25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 PAB 2.46

$2.51 ₡1,125

-1.99%

Eggs

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$3.57 ₡1,603

-32.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 PAB 1.99

$1.13 ₡507

76.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

$19.88 ₡8,916

-48.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 PAB 0.76

$1.12 ₡504

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 PAB 2.96

$2.14 ₡958

38.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PAB 2.04

$1.57 ₡703

29.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PAB 1.07

$1.52 ₡682

-29.61%

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

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

15.52%

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

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-11.49%

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

$184 PAB 184

$96.3 ₡43.2K

90.75%

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

$28.48 PAB 28.48

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-20.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.40 PAB 49.40

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 PAB 31.21

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-56.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,091 PAB 6,091

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-48.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 PAB 343

$788 ₡353.4K

-56.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 PAB 354

$794 ₡356.2K

-55.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 PAB 604

$864 ₡387.3K

-30.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-18.79%

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

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

David

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

David

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

David

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

David

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

David

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

David

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

David

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $343 in David versus $788 in Nosara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in David versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $88.0 vs $352 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 David

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

05:59 5:59 AM

04:59 4:59 AM

1 h behind David

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,907

4,912

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

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).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

David Nosara 390 km

From you

David
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

David vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,323 per month in David and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 301% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in David and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Nosara at $1,839. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – 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 David. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.