Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $430 per month in Goma vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Goma $430
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $751 per month in Goma vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Goma $751
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,071 per month in Goma vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Goma $1,071
Nosara $3,818

Goma is about 77% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Goma sits 68% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$12.35 ₡5,539

21.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-25.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$7.52 ₡3,373

35.51%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CDF 7,960

$4.41 ₡1,978

-20.41%

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

$1.03 CDF 2,331

$1.74 ₡780

-40.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CDF 2,292

$1.31 ₡587

-22.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 CDF 2,685

$3.28 ₡1,471

-63.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$4.47 ₡2,004

12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,211

$1.56 ₡701

-37.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CDF 2,758

$2.51 ₡1,125

-51.39%

Eggs

$1.60 CDF 3,625

$3.57 ₡1,603

-55.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

$7.43 ₡3,333

-18.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 CDF 5,814

$10.52 ₡4,717

-75.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$13.97 ₡6,265

-64.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,470

$2.35 ₡1,052

-16.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CDF 3,448

$4.80 ₡2,152

-68.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 CDF 1,165

$3.80 ₡1,703

-86.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CDF 1,552

$2.66 ₡1,191

-74.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CDF 4,567

$2.90 ₡1,300

-30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CDF 5,698

$3.63 ₡1,626

-30.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-59.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

12.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-57.56%

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)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

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)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

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)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Goma

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

Goma

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

Goma

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goma

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Goma

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Goma

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Goma

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Goma versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $352 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Goma

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

09:56 9:56 AM

01:56 1:56 AM

8 h behind Goma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CDF – Congolese Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇩 Congolese Franc (Fr)

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 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 CDF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Goma Nosara 12,760 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Goma
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

Goma vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 328% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Goma and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $430 in Goma and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 328%.

Groceries cost about 227% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $430 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Goma. 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.