Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gallup, NM and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,844 a month against $2,283 in Gallup, NM, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Gallup, NM, United States
Nosara, Costa Rica
Gallup, NM
🇺🇸 United States
$2,283
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,844
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,283 in Gallup, NM versus $1,844 in Nosara.

  • Gallup, NM $2,283
  • Nosara $1,844

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,314 in Gallup, NM versus $2,817 in Nosara.

  • Gallup, NM $3,314
  • Nosara $2,817

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,345 in Gallup, NM versus $3,790 in Nosara.

  • Gallup, NM $4,345
  • Nosara $3,790

Living in Gallup, NM is roughly 24% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gallup, NM 69% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.78 $16.78
$12.38 ₡5,568
35.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.8 $77.8
$60.6 ₡27.2K
28.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.09 $12.09
$7.81 ₡3,513
54.80%
Cappuccino
$5.49 $5.49
$4.37 ₡1,966
25.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$1.78 ₡800
65.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.35 ₡605
80.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.15 $6.15
$3.39 ₡1,526
81.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04 $7.04
$4.31 ₡1,939
63.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.55 ₡699
-24.52%
White Bread (500g)
$4.31 $4.31
$3.17 ₡1,425
35.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$2.51 ₡1,130
118.33%
Eggs
$4.20 $4.20
$3.53 ₡1,585
18.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.70 $16.70
$7.37 ₡3,313
126.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.64 $20.64
$10.46 ₡4,703
97.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.02 $17.02
$13.91 ₡6,255
22.36%
Apples (1kg)
$5.85 $5.85
$2.26 ₡1,018
158.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.56 ₡701
12.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 $3.75
$4.70 ₡2,113
-20.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.42 $4.42
$1.62 ₡729
172.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 $2.81
$3.88 ₡1,746
-27.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 $2.03
$3.79 ₡1,704
-46.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.07 ₡481
137.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.61 ₡1,174
-5.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.77 $10.77
$5.16 ₡2,319
108.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.07 $16.07
$20.33 ₡9,143
-20.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.91 ₡1,310
-26.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 $4.28
$3.67 ₡1,651
16.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.31 ₡588
46.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.7 $52.7
$73.2 ₡32.9K
-28.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 $3.57
$2.19 ₡984
63.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.84 ₡829
25.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.66 $34.66
$7.81 ₡3,513
343.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.56 ₡702
-34.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$33.4K ₡15.0M
-21.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$38.1K ₡17.1M
-33.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$250 $250
$95.9 ₡43.1K
160.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.45 $44.45
$35.37 ₡15.9K
25.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$92.7 $92.7
$53.7 ₡24.1K
72.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.23 $39.23
$67.5 ₡30.3K
-41.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.43 ₡15.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.79 $17.79
$7.72 ₡3,473
130.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,363 $1,363
$496 ₡222.8K
175.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K $23.1K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
94.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.5 $60.5
$54.6 ₡24.6K
10.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 $57.5
$55.0 ₡24.7K
4.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 $80.0
$79.8 ₡35.9K
0.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 $130
$77.9 ₡35.0K
66.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$991 $991
$817 ₡367.5K
21.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$817 $817
$800 ₡359.7K
2.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,504 $1,504
$3,889 ₡1.7M
-61.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,196 $1,196
$1,396 ₡627.6K
-14.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,090 $3,090
$6,977 ₡3.1M
-55.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,405 $2,405
$1,222 ₡549.6K
96.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gallup, NM
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$879 ₡395.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
8.62
-22.97%

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

Last update for Gallup, NM: November 1, 2026

Last update for Nosara: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gallup, NM
$817
Nosara
$800 2.1% $17
Groceries & Markets
Gallup, NM
$478
Nosara
$353 26.3% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gallup, NM
$387
Nosara
$185 52.2% $202
Eating Out
Gallup, NM
$303
Nosara
$213 29.6% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Gallup, NM
$148
Nosara
$120 18.5% $27
Getting Around
Gallup, NM
$75
Nosara
$90 19.1% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Gallup, NM
$75
Nosara
$83 10.8% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $991 in Gallup, NM and $817 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78 in Gallup, NM vs $61 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $478 vs $353 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Gallup, NM
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
04:33 4:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
1 h ahead of Gallup, NM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,605
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gallup, NM Nosara 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gallup, NM
  • 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
Gallup, NM vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Gallup, NM?
Nosara is about 19% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,424 in Gallup, NM and $2,765 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 Gallup, NM and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $991 in Gallup, NM versus $817 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Gallup, NM and in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Gallup, NM. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Gallup, NM or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61 versus $78 in Gallup, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 enough for either Gallup, NM or Nosara?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Nosara gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Gallup, NM or in 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.

Gallup, NM vs other spots: cost of living compared

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