Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goes and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,593 in Goes, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Goes, Netherlands
Nosara, Costa Rica
Goes
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,593
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,593 per month in Goes vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Goes $2,593
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,733 per month in Goes vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Goes $3,733
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $4,873 per month in Goes vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Goes $4,873
  • Nosara $3,814

Goes costs about 41% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Goes and Nosara sit above the global median – Goes by 91%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.51 €14.72
$12.34 ₡5,584
33.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.7 €64.8
$61.3 ₡27.7K
18.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.84 €13.23
$7.76 ₡3,512
91.24%
Cappuccino
$4.89 €4.36
$4.44 ₡2,009
10.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 €2.89
$1.79 ₡810
81.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 €2.50
$1.29 ₡585
117.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.57 €5.85
$3.24 ₡1,464
102.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.67 €5.05
$4.43 ₡2,003
27.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.55 ₡702
-5.16%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 €2.14
$3.08 ₡1,392
-22.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.71 €3.31
$2.53 ₡1,143
46.64%
Eggs
$5.25 €4.68
$3.45 ₡1,560
52.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.14 €13.49
$7.32 ₡3,313
106.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.91 €13.29
$10.24 ₡4,635
45.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.87 €14.14
$14.10 ₡6,382
12.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 €2.48
$2.29 ₡1,036
21.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$1.64 ₡744
51.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 €1.66
$4.79 ₡2,168
-60.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.62 €5.01
$1.64 ₡742
242.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 €1.61
$3.85 ₡1,743
-52.99%
Onion (1kg)
$2.80 €2.50
$3.75 ₡1,696
-25.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.09 ₡492
17.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 €0.77
$2.59 ₡1,170
-66.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.06 €12.53
$5.12 ₡2,315
174.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.98 €6.22
$19.92 ₡9,010
-64.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.80 ₡1,266
-53.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 €2.33
$3.52 ₡1,594
-25.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Goes
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.40 €3.03
$1.22 ₡554
178.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.0 €78.4
$73.9 ₡33.4K
19.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.07 €3.63
$2.17 ₡982
87.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.56 ₡704
79.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.59 €26.38
$8.67 ₡3,921
241.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.42 €2.16
$1.55 ₡703
56.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.0K €37.5K
$34.5K ₡15.6M
21.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.4K
$38.7K ₡17.5M
-0.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$340 €303
$94.8 ₡42.9K
258.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.78 €20.30
$36.15 ₡16.4K
-36.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.6 €54.9
$53.1 ₡24.0K
16.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.24 €35.86
$73.8 ₡33.4K
-45.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.47 €20.92
$35.63 ₡16.1K
-34.13%
Cinema Ticket
$14.53 €12.95
$7.91 ₡3,579
83.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,996 €2,670
$490 ₡221.8K
511.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,979 €5,329
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-49.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.8 €83.6
$54.8 ₡24.8K
71.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.63 €37.99
$55.9 ₡25.3K
-23.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.7 €77.3
$80.4 ₡36.4K
7.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.0 €88.2
$77.9 ₡35.2K
27.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Goes
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,415 €1,261
$801 ₡362.3K
76.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,172 €1,045
$790 ₡357.2K
48.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,429 €2,165
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-39.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,880 €1,675
$1,409 ₡637.6K
33.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,254 €4,683
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-25.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,444 €3,961
$1,236 ₡559.2K
259.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Goes
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,080 €2,745
$887 ₡401.1K
247.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.95
8.62
-54.18%

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

Last update for Goes: 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
Goes
$1.2K
Nosara
$790 32.7% $383
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goes
$425
Nosara
$184 56.7% $241
Groceries & Markets
Goes
$359
Nosara
$350 2.5% $9
Eating Out
Goes
$304
Nosara
$213 30% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Goes
$145
Nosara
$121 16.5% $24
Getting Around
Goes
$120
Nosara
$89 25.8% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Goes
$69
Nosara
$90 29.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,415 in Goes versus $801 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 in Goes are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Goes versus $61 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Goes
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
07:34 7:34 AM
00:34 12:34 AM
7 h behind Goes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
27,495
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 452 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Goes Nosara 9,110 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Goes
  • 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
Goes vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Goes?
Yes – Goes is pricier by about 41%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,890 per month in Goes and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $801 there versus $1,415 in Goes.
What are total monthly expenses in Goes and in Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,593 in Goes and $1,835 in Nosara. That’s a gap of about 41%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Goes or Nosara?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,593 in Goes and $1,835 in Nosara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Goes or Nosara more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Goes or Nosara?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Goes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Goes vs other spots: cost of living compared

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