Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Nosara Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanacaste and Nosara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,434 per month in Guanacaste vs $1,712 in Nosara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,141 per month in Guanacaste vs $2,637 in Nosara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,849 per month in Guanacaste vs $3,562 in Nosara, rent included.

Guanacaste is about 16% cheaper than Nosara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Guanacaste and Nosara sit above the global median – Guanacaste by 7%, Nosara by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.77 ₡4,464

$11.04 ₡5,046

-11.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.08 ₡20.1K

$60.5 ₡27.6K

-27.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,525

$7.09 ₡3,240

39.63%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₡1,731

$3.89 ₡1,777

-2.57%

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

$2.01 ₡918

$1.57 ₡719

28.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡761

$1.17 ₡533

42.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₡1,321

$2.94 ₡1,345

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₡1,892

$4.71 ₡2,150

-12.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₡833

$1.47 ₡671

23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,267

$2.81 ₡1,286

-1.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₡996

$2.25 ₡1,026

-3.11%

Eggs

$3.02 ₡1,380

$2.94 ₡1,345

2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 ₡2,315

$6.78 ₡3,099

-25.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ₡1,860

$9.03 ₡4,126

-54.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 ₡4,617

$13.62 ₡6,223

-25.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₡1,123

$2.05 ₡935

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ₡671

$1.46 ₡668

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ₡1,799

$4.18 ₡1,908

-5.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₡650

$1.51 ₡691

-5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,553

$3.44 ₡1,573

-1.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₡882

$3.19 ₡1,457

-39.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₡347

$0.96 ₡437

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,328

$2.42 ₡1,104

20.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ₡1,778

$4.61 ₡2,107

-15.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.38 ₡10.2K

$21.01 ₡9,601

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,146

$2.41 ₡1,100

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,119

$2.85 ₡1,301

-14.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡463

$0.96 ₡438

5.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡818

$1.80 ₡822

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 ₡837

$1.85 ₡845

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₡3,676

$7.77 ₡3,550

3.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡666

$1.28 ₡585

14.06%

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

$37.6K ₡17.2M

$32.4K ₡14.8M

15.97%

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

$32.3K ₡14.8M

$32.2K ₡14.7M

0.18%

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

$92.7 ₡42.4K

$95.5 ₡43.6K

-2.88%

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

$25.74 ₡11.8K

$26.09 ₡11.9K

-1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.44 ₡13.5K

$47.42 ₡21.7K

-37.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ₡26.4K

$57.8 ₡26.4K

0.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.98 ₡11.0K

$23.56 ₡10.8K

1.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 ₡4,459

$10.18 ₡4,651

-4.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$567 ₡259.1K

$442 ₡202.1K

28.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.8M

$10.5K ₡4.8M

20.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 ₡27.0K

$50.6 ₡23.1K

16.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 ₡17.9K

$51.4 ₡23.5K

-23.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ₡36.0K

$72.2 ₡33.0K

9.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₡31.6K

$70.4 ₡32.1K

-1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₡346.5K

$770 ₡352.0K

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₡270.0K

$733 ₡334.8K

-19.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 ₡699.9K

$1,500 ₡685.6K

2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 ₡446.1K

$1,290 ₡589.4K

-24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡563.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡409.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Guanacaste: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $758 in Guanacaste versus $770 in Nosara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Guanacaste versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $323 – making Guanacaste the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Guanacaste vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,151 per month in Guanacaste and $2,568 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guanacaste, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,434 in Guanacaste and $1,712 in Nosara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $567 per month in Guanacaste and $442 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guanacaste, where all-in costs run around $1,434, than in Nosara at $1,712. In Guanacaste it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guanacaste – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Guanacaste. 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.