Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Havana: $860 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Havana
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Havana Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Havana

🇨🇺 Cuba

$860

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Havana versus $1,839 in Nosara.

Havana $860
Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,388 in Havana versus $2,828 in Nosara.

Havana $1,388
Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,916 in Havana versus $3,818 in Nosara.

Havana $1,916
Nosara $3,818

Living in Havana costs roughly 53% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Havana is 36% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 CUP 86.3

$12.35 ₡5,539

-70.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.63 CUP 663

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-54.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 CUP 117

$7.52 ₡3,373

-35.11%

Cappuccino

$1.06 CUP 25.42

$4.41 ₡1,978

-75.96%

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

$1.51 CUP 36.33

$1.74 ₡780

-13.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.80

$1.31 ₡587

-24.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 CUP 29.66

$3.28 ₡1,471

-62.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.10

$4.47 ₡2,004

-54.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CUP 64.3

$1.56 ₡701

71.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CUP 29.26

$3.02 ₡1,355

-59.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 CUP 42.35

$2.51 ₡1,125

-29.88%

Eggs

$3.50 CUP 83.9

$3.57 ₡1,603

-1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 CUP 108

$7.43 ₡3,333

-39.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 CUP 112

$10.52 ₡4,717

-55.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 CUP 205

$13.97 ₡6,265

-38.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 CUP 149

$2.35 ₡1,052

163.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.55

$1.61 ₡720

-36.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CUP 92.0

$4.80 ₡2,152

-20.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 CUP 53.8

$1.61 ₡724

39.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CUP 70.2

$3.80 ₡1,703

-22.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CUP 65.7

$3.69 ₡1,657

-25.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 CUP 17.33

$1.13 ₡507

-36.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 CUP 13.60

$2.66 ₡1,191

-78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 CUP 38.72

$5.18 ₡2,321

-68.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 CUP 129

$19.88 ₡8,916

-72.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CUP 42.38

$2.90 ₡1,300

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.30

$3.63 ₡1,626

-43.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CUP 15.17

$1.12 ₡504

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.13 CUP 531

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-69.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 CUP 63.1

$2.14 ₡958

22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 CUP 7.98

$1.57 ₡703

-78.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.63 CUP 471

$8.52 ₡3,823

130.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CUP 30.50

$1.52 ₡682

-16.45%

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

$60.4K CUP 1.5M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

179.61%

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

$59.1K CUP 1.4M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

71.25%

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

$46.62 CUP 1,119

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-51.58%

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

$39.24 CUP 942

$35.89 ₡16.1K

9.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.3 CUP 2,144

$53.6 ₡24.0K

66.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.35 CUP 392

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-77.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.84 CUP 308

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-63.22%

Cinema Ticket

$0.83 CUP 19.99

$7.89 ₡3,539

-89.48%

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

$156 CUP 3,752

$494 ₡221.6K

-68.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CUP 298.9K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

5.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 CUP 1,253

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-3.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 CUP 1,001

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 CUP 1,919

$77.9 ₡34.9K

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 CUP 1,623

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 CUP 5,911

$788 ₡353.4K

-68.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 CUP 5,245

$794 ₡356.2K

-72.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 CUP 20.9K

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-77.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 CUP 12.2K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-64.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$314 CUP 7,545

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-95.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 CUP 9,762

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-66.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$29.60 CUP 710

$864 ₡387.3K

-96.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

8.62

5.57%

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

Last update for Havana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Havana

$234 27.2%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 50.7% $118

Accommodation & Living

Havana

$219 25.4%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 263% $576

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Havana

$175 20.4%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 6% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Havana

$109 12.6%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 10.5% $11

Eating Out

Havana

$76 8.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 177% $135

Getting Around

Havana

$29 3.4%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 201% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Havana

$18 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 385% $69

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Havana and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 2817% 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: $28.00 in Havana vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $352 per month, with Havana cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇺 Havana

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:43 10:43 AM

08:43 8:43 AM

2 h behind Havana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,141,993 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Cuban Peso CUP $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 CUP = 4.17 USD

100 CUP = 3.71 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CUP – Cuban Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇺 Cuban Peso ($)

Cuban Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 24 CUP (100 CUP = 4.17 USD). 1 EUR = 26.98 CUP (100 CUP = 3.71 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to CUP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Havana Nosara 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Havana
Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Havana vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Havana and Nosara differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $1,839 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2817% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Havana versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Havana versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $860 in Havana versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Havana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Havana 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.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.