Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Grimsby and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,254 in Grimsby, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Grimsby
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,254
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,254 in Grimsby versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Grimsby $2,254
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,321 in Grimsby versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Grimsby $3,321
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,388 in Grimsby versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Grimsby $4,388
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Grimsby is roughly 23% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grimsby 67% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 CA$24.99
$12.35 ₡5,547
42.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 CA$100
$61.2 ₡27.5K
15.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 CA$14.80
$7.52 ₡3,377
38.43%
Cappuccino
$3.35 CA$4.76
$4.41 ₡1,981
-24.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.68
$1.74 ₡781
8.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 CA$2.15
$1.31 ₡588
16.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 CA$8.02
$3.28 ₡1,473
71.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.17 CA$8.78
$4.47 ₡2,007
38.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.56 CA$3.64
$1.56 ₡702
64.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.84 CA$4.03
$3.02 ₡1,357
-5.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.32 CA$4.73
$2.51 ₡1,127
32.27%
Eggs
$3.52 CA$5.00
$3.57 ₡1,605
-1.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.19 CA$13.07
$7.43 ₡3,338
23.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.23 CA$14.54
$10.52 ₡4,724
-2.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.44 CA$19.10
$13.97 ₡6,274
-3.79%
Apples (1kg)
$3.41 CA$4.85
$2.35 ₡1,054
45.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 CA$2.06
$1.61 ₡721
-9.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 CA$3.77
$4.80 ₡2,155
-44.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.90 CA$4.12
$1.61 ₡725
80.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 CA$2.66
$3.80 ₡1,706
-50.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 CA$2.67
$3.69 ₡1,659
-49.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 CA$2.91
$1.13 ₡507
81.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 CA$2.08
$2.66 ₡1,193
-45.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.37 CA$19.01
$5.18 ₡2,324
158.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.42 CA$14.81
$19.88 ₡8,929
-47.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 CA$3.93
$2.90 ₡1,302
-4.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 CA$3.74
$3.63 ₡1,628
-27.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.45 CA$3.48
$1.12 ₡505
118.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.2 CA$78.5
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-24.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.87 CA$6.92
$2.14 ₡959
127.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 CA$3.57
$1.57 ₡704
59.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.39 CA$58.8
$8.52 ₡3,828
385.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 CA$1.64
$1.52 ₡683
-24.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K CA$39.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
29.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K CA$26.2K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-46.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$143 CA$204
$96.3 ₡43.2K
48.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.19 CA$61.4
$35.89 ₡16.1K
20.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.9 CA$95.1
$53.6 ₡24.1K
24.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.73 CA$56.5
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-44.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.85 CA$26.81
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-46.00%
Cinema Ticket
$8.86 CA$12.59
$7.89 ₡3,544
12.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,022 CA$1,453
$494 ₡221.9K
106.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K CA$24.1K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
43.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.4 CA$98.7
$53.9 ₡24.2K
28.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.37 CA$54.6
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-30.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.6 CA$137
$77.9 ₡35.0K
23.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.4 CA$137
$79.6 ₡35.8K
21.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 CA$1,662
$788 ₡353.9K
48.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,133 CA$1,611
$794 ₡356.7K
42.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,917 CA$2,725
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-51.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,848 CA$2,628
$1,419 ₡637.4K
30.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,532 CA$6,443
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-34.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,743 CA$5,322
$1,224 ₡549.8K
205.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grimsby
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,334 CA$6,162
$864 ₡387.8K
401.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.52
8.62
-47.56%

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

Last update for Grimsby: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Grimsby
$1.1K
Nosara
$794 29.9% $339
Groceries & Markets
Grimsby
$326
Nosara
$352 8% $26
Eating Out
Grimsby
$266
Nosara
$212 20.4% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grimsby
$254
Nosara
$186 26.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Grimsby
$135
Nosara
$120 11.3% $15
Getting Around
Grimsby
$82
Nosara
$87 5.7% $4.7
Sport & Entertainment
Grimsby
$57
Nosara
$87 52.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Grimsby and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimsby pays 402% 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: $71.0 in Grimsby vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $352, with Grimsby cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Grimsby
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
16:31 4:31 PM
14:31 2:31 PM
2 h behind Grimsby
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,883
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Grimsby Nosara 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Grimsby
  • 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
Grimsby vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Grimsby and in Nosara?
Grimsby and Nosara differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($2,254 vs $1,839 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Grimsby or Nosara?
Average pay runs 402% higher in Grimsby, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Grimsby and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,169 in Grimsby versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $71.0 in Grimsby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Grimsby or Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $2,254 per month in Grimsby versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,254 in Grimsby, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Grimsby. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Grimsby 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 Grimsby or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Grimsby 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: Grimsby or Nosara?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Grimsby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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