Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dededo and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,734 in Dededo, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dededo
🇬🇺 Guam
$2,734
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in Dededo versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Dededo $2,734
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,908 in Dededo versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Dededo $3,908
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,082 in Dededo versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Dededo $5,082
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Dededo is roughly 49% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dededo 102% above, Nosara 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.58 $24.58
$12.34 ₡5,584
99.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.68 $49.68
$61.3 ₡27.7K
-18.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.93 $16.93
$7.76 ₡3,512
118.17%
Cappuccino
$4.47 $4.47
$4.44 ₡2,009
0.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.79 ₡810
-37.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.29 ₡585
-20.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.24 ₡1,464
-12.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.43 ₡2,003
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$6.97 $6.97
$1.55 ₡702
349.68%
White Bread (500g)
$9.23 $9.23
$3.08 ₡1,392
199.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.53 ₡1,143
-12.25%
Eggs
$7.03 $7.03
$3.45 ₡1,560
103.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$7.32 ₡3,313
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.09 $18.09
$10.24 ₡4,635
76.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$14.10 ₡6,382
-
Apples (1kg)
$7.99 $7.99
$2.29 ₡1,036
248.91%
Banana (1kg)
$8.07 $8.07
$1.64 ₡744
392.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$10.17 $10.17
$4.79 ₡2,168
112.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$9.78 $9.78
$1.64 ₡742
496.34%
Potato (1kg)
$6.25 $6.25
$3.85 ₡1,743
62.34%
Onion (1kg)
$8.48 $8.48
$3.75 ₡1,696
126.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.48 $4.48
$1.09 ₡492
311.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.59 ₡1,170
-21.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.23 $9.23
$5.12 ₡2,315
80.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.99 $22.99
$19.92 ₡9,010
15.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$2.80 ₡1,266
-12.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10 $5.10
$3.52 ₡1,594
44.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.22 ₡554
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.17 ₡982
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.56 ₡704
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.67 ₡3,921
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.55 ₡703
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.5K ₡15.6M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$38.7K ₡17.5M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 $203
$94.8 ₡42.9K
114.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.16 $49.16
$36.15 ₡16.4K
35.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.8 $50.8
$53.1 ₡24.0K
-4.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$73.8 ₡33.4K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.91 ₡3,579
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$490 ₡221.8K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.1 $59.1
$54.8 ₡24.8K
7.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$98.5 $98.5
$55.9 ₡25.3K
76.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$80.4 ₡36.4K
27.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$77.9 ₡35.2K
53.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,635 $1,635
$801 ₡362.3K
104.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 $1,322
$790 ₡357.2K
67.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,231 $3,231
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-19.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,003 $2,003
$1,409 ₡637.6K
42.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,236 ₡559.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dededo
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,805 $3,805
$887 ₡401.1K
329.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
8.62
-

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

Last update for Dededo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dededo
–
Nosara
$790
Groceries & Markets
Dededo
–
Nosara
$350
Eating Out
Dededo
–
Nosara
$213
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dededo
–
Nosara
$184
Clothing & Footwear
Dededo
–
Nosara
$121
Sport & Entertainment
Dededo
–
Nosara
$90
Getting Around
Dededo
–
Nosara
$89

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,635 in Dededo and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dededo pays 329% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Dededo vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $614 vs $350, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇺 Dededo
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
00:53 12:53 AM
08:53 8:53 AM
16 h behind Dededo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
45,000
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 452 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 509 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dededo Nosara 13,860 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dededo
  • 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
Dededo vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dededo or Nosara?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Dededo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Dededo or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 329% higher in Dededo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dededo compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,635 in Dededo versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Dededo compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $2,734 per month in Dededo versus $1,835 in Nosara – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Dededo or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Dededo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Dededo or in Nosara?
At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,734 in Dededo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Dededo. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dededo or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Dededo compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Dededo 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Dededo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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