Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gudja and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Gudja and in Nosara: $1,762 and $1,839 a month, rent and utilities included.

Gudja
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,762
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,762 in Gudja versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Gudja $1,762
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Gudja versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Gudja $2,680
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,597 in Gudja versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Gudja $3,597
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Gudja costs roughly 4% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gudja 31% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.74 €10.44
$12.35 ₡5,539
-4.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.9 €77.3
$61.2 ₡27.4K
41.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.41 €11.93
$7.52 ₡3,373
78.32%
Cappuccino
$2.28 €2.03
$4.41 ₡1,978
-48.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.61
$1.74 ₡780
4.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.85
$1.31 ₡587
-26.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.30 €2.04
$3.28 ₡1,471
-29.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 €2.79
$4.47 ₡2,004
-29.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.56 ₡701
-17.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 €1.16
$3.02 ₡1,355
-56.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.85 €2.53
$2.51 ₡1,125
13.55%
Eggs
$3.55 €3.16
$3.57 ₡1,603
-0.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.64 €6.80
$7.43 ₡3,333
2.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.76 €8.68
$10.52 ₡4,717
-7.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.02 €16.03
$13.97 ₡6,265
28.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.35 ₡1,052
-3.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 €1.73
$1.61 ₡720
21.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.51 €2.23
$4.80 ₡2,152
-47.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.60 €2.31
$1.61 ₡724
61.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 €1.50
$3.80 ₡1,703
-55.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 €1.80
$3.69 ₡1,657
-44.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 €0.87
$1.13 ₡507
-13.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$2.66 ₡1,191
-68.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.51 €4.90
$5.18 ₡2,321
6.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.32 €7.40
$19.88 ₡8,916
-58.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 €1.41
$2.90 ₡1,300
-45.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.47
$3.63 ₡1,626
-54.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 €1.72
$1.12 ₡504
73.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.99 €15.12
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-76.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.55 €4.93
$2.14 ₡958
159.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 €1.96
$1.57 ₡703
40.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.74 €23.79
$8.52 ₡3,823
213.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.52 ₡682
-2.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K €24.2K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
26.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K €21.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-29.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 €91.9
$96.3 ₡43.2K
7.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.59 €14.76
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-53.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.47 €24.44
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-48.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$133 €119
$71.6 ₡32.1K
86.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.28 €19.82
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-36.18%
Cinema Ticket
$10.22 €9.09
$7.89 ₡3,539
29.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$367 €327
$494 ₡221.6K
-25.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K €9,712
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-7.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.7 €70.9
$53.9 ₡24.2K
47.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.67 €36.18
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-26.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.2 €65.1
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-6.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 €70.2
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-0.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$902 €802
$788 ₡353.4K
14.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$833 €741
$794 ₡356.2K
4.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,444 €1,284
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-63.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 €1,140
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-9.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,830 €1,628
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-73.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,653 €1,471
$1,224 ₡549.0K
35.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gudja
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,322 €1,176
$864 ₡387.3K
53.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
8.62
-66.36%

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

Last update for Gudja: 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
Gudja
$833
Nosara
$794 4.6% $38
Groceries & Markets
Gudja
$274
Nosara
$352 28.3% $78
Eating Out
Gudja
$190
Nosara
$212 11.3% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Gudja
$154
Nosara
$87 43.1% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gudja
$147
Nosara
$186 26% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Gudja
$123
Nosara
$120 2% $2.5
Getting Around
Gudja
$41
Nosara
$87 111% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $902 in Gudja and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gudja pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Gudja vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $352, with Gudja cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Gudja
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
14:26 2:26 PM
06:26 6:26 AM
8 h behind Gudja
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,000
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gudja Nosara 10,260 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gudja
  • 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
Gudja vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Gudja?
Gudja is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Gudja or Nosara?
Average pay runs 53% higher in Gudja, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Gudja and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $902 in Gudja versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Gudja or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Gudja – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Gudja and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $1,762 per month in Gudja versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Gudja or in Nosara?
At $1,762 in Gudja versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Gudja but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Gudja the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Gudja or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Gudja is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Gudja or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Gudja 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Gudja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Gudja vs other spots: cost of living compared

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