Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goa and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Goa: $473 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Goa
🇮🇳 India
$473
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $473 in Goa versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Goa $473
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Goa versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Goa $789
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Goa versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Goa $1,104
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Goa costs roughly 74% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Goa is 65% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.07 ₹297
$12.22 ₡5,509
-74.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.75 ₹1,525
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-73.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 ₹561
$7.54 ₡3,399
-23.08%
Cappuccino
$1.20 ₹116
$4.31 ₡1,941
-72.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₹33.84
$1.72 ₡773
-79.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ₹16.21
$1.35 ₡608
-87.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.16 ₹113
$3.24 ₡1,459
-64.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 ₹246
$4.48 ₡2,018
-43.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.73 ₹71.0
$1.57 ₡707
-53.50%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 ₹51.7
$3.17 ₡1,429
-83.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.68 ₹65.6
$2.42 ₡1,091
-71.90%
Eggs
$0.89 ₹86.3
$3.57 ₡1,609
-75.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.48 ₹724
$7.43 ₡3,349
0.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.96 ₹286
$10.42 ₡4,697
-71.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.66 ₡6,156
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.69 ₹164
$2.32 ₡1,044
-27.16%
Banana (1kg)
$0.80 ₹77.2
$1.61 ₡728
-50.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 ₹149
$4.74 ₡2,138
-67.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.41 ₹40.08
$1.66 ₡747
-75.30%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 ₹28.63
$3.72 ₡1,679
-91.94%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 ₹38.61
$3.57 ₡1,611
-88.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.49 ₹47.85
$1.10 ₡497
-55.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₹29.25
$2.55 ₡1,149
-88.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.84 ₹468
$4.95 ₡2,232
-2.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.81 ₹660
$20.01 ₡9,020
-65.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₹87.1
$2.79 ₡1,256
-67.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₹271
$3.53 ₡1,589
-20.68%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$4.98 ₹482
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Goa
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₹24.17
$1.19 ₡537
-78.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.58 ₹927
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-86.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ₹102
$2.24 ₡1,011
-52.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 ₹29.74
$1.55 ₡701
-80.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 ₹144
$8.86 ₡3,993
-83.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ₹102
$1.57 ₡708
-33.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.4K ₹1.2M
$21.8K ₡9.8M
-43.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K ₹2.9M
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-13.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$25.55 ₹2,473
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-72.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.08 ₹298
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-91.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.41 ₹911
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-81.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.11 ₹1,656
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-76.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$1.07 ₹104
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-96.98%
Cinema Ticket
$3.07 ₹297
$7.84 ₡3,535
-60.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$110 ₹10.6K
$490 ₡220.7K
-77.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,663 ₹160.9K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-86.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.08 ₹3,105
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-40.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.08 ₹3,298
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-38.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.9 ₹5,606
$79.3 ₡35.7K
-26.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$27.70 ₹2,681
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-64.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Goa
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$180 ₹17.4K
$786 ₡354.3K
-77.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 ₹15.4K
$780 ₡351.6K
-79.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$525 ₹50.8K
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-86.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$406 ₹39.3K
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-71.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,123 ₹108.7K
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-83.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$667 ₹64.5K
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-44.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Goa
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$349 ₹33.8K
$876 ₡395.0K
-60.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.12
8.62
5.80%

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

Last update for Goa: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Goa
$159
Nosara
$780 390% $621
Groceries & Markets
Goa
$109
Nosara
$350 222% $241
Eating Out
Goa
$69
Nosara
$209 203% $140
Clothing & Footwear
Goa
$68
Nosara
$120 76.2% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goa
$38
Nosara
$180 373% $142
Sport & Entertainment
Goa
$23
Nosara
$87 275% $64
Getting Around
Goa
$13
Nosara
$87 560% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Goa and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 151% 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: $16.00 in Goa vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $109 vs $350 per month, with Goa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Goa
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
07:07 7:07 AM
19:37 7:37 PM
11 h 30 min behind Goa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,458,545
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 INR (1,000 INR = 9.21 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Goa Nosara 16,420 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Goa
  • 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
Goa vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Goa and in Nosara?
Goa and Nosara differ by about 288% in total monthly costs ($473 vs $1,837 including rent). Goa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 151% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Goa and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $180 in Goa versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 222% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Goa – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $473 in Goa versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goa but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Goa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Goa 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 Goa or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Goa 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: Goa or Nosara?
Expats usually find Goa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 288% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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